On the 22nd of February 2026, Mexican federal authorities, working alongside U.S. intelligence, attempted to apprehend a senior cartel figure who was residing in the rural Jalisco region.
During the operation, he was injured and later died while being transported for medical attention. Following his death, one of his sub-leaders ordered a series of disruptive acts, including setting fire to public transport vehicles and facilities in parts of the state. The work of this man is what we saw in the media.
Mexican authorities later neutralized the individual responsible for ordering the disruption. Since then, conditions on the ground have returned to normal, and those in Mexico are back going about their daily business. Even the kids are back at school after closures as a precaution on Monday.
While there were fatalities among individuals directly involved in the confrontation, such as law enforcement, there were no reported deaths among members of the general public or foreign visitors.
As much as parts of the media would like to suggest all hell is breaking loose in Mexico as its good for their ratings and clicks, the reality for foreign visitors and everyday Mexican citizens is very different.
During the recent unrest, not one foreigner was reported injured or killed. I follow developments in Mexico closely as a resident here. The last foreign national killed by crime in Jalisco, where this disruption occurred, was a Canadian in 2022. For a country that ranks among the top four worldwide for international tourist arrivals, that is a strong safety record and compares favorably with many established tourism destinations including the UK, France, and others.
Crime stories in Mexico provide excellent entertainment. We only need to look at popular television series such as Breaking Bad, which keeps viewers hooked. Sicario and Man on Fire have shaped how many people subconsciously view Mexico. These productions are designed for drama. They focus on the most extreme elements of organized crime because that makes compelling television. High-speed chases, cartel leaders, corruption, and chaos make for gripping storytelling.
As someone who has had a house in Mexico for a decade, I can promise you this is not the reality of Mexico, but sadly many international observers fail to separate fact from fiction.
Then on Sunday, when the disruption happened, we had a very real problem with fake news. One image circulating widely on social media showed a burnt-out passenger plane on a runway at a Mexican airport. That photo was AI-generated, but many people accepted it as fact. There was even a document on government letterhead claiming there was a curfew. That notice was fake.
The footage you saw of people running at an airport in Puerto Vallarta was real, but again the so-called stampede was caused by misinformation. A rumor spread that the cartel was inside the airport and people started running. During Sunday’s unrest, no airport in Mexico was breached by the cartel. A lot of media published this footage with zero context.
Every country experiences isolated security incidents from time to time. These events, while serious, rarely reflect the everyday visitor experience. My birth country of New Zealand experienced the tragic Christchurch attacks within the past decade, where 51 people sadly lost their lives. The United States continues to see periodic security incidents across multiple cities. France has experienced protests where public transport and facilities were damaged on a similar scale to what happened in Mexico, but none of these incidents are representative of the general population or the day-to-day life in these countries.
None of these events define the normal travel experience in those countries, and the bad actors responsible are not representative of the majority of people who live there.
The same principle applies to Mexico.
Following this, the U.S. State Department kept the travel warning for many areas in Mexico the same, including major tourism regions such as Cancun and Baja California.
The U.S. State Department currently assigns Jalisco a Level 3: Reconsider Travel advisory. At first glance, that can sound alarming, again context is important.
Level 3 is a broad precautionary category. It does not mean do not travel. Rather, it means travelers should exercise increased caution and remain informed. It is also worth noting that Level 3 advisories and similar elevated caution notices are applied to a number of developed or heavily visited destinations around the world.
The key point is simple: travel advisories are issued at a country or state level and are intentionally conservative. They are not hotel-specific risk assessments.
Back to Jalisco, where the majority of Sunday’s unrest took place.
Things are very much back to normal there. There are several big-name brands along the Jalisco coast such as Four Seasons, St. Regis, Ritz-Carlton, and One&Only. While I do not speak on behalf of these properties, I work closely with them, and one thing I can tell you is that they are highly protective of their brands. This means there is no scenario in which they would keep their properties open if there were a credible risk to guests. Operationally, these resorts not only monitor on-site security but also work with authorities to keep the transport corridors from airport/seaport to resort operating smoothly. Marriott, Rosewood, and Four Seasons continue to invest heavily, collectively billions of dollars in these areas. They would not do so without rigorous risk assessment.
Cartel groups are not focused on Ron and Wendy Smith from Fort Worth, Texas heading to Punta Mita for a seven-night vacation. Their priorities are far larger and tied primarily to drug transportation routes through Mexico and into the United States. These corridors are typically located well inland and are nowhere near the main tourist hotspots which are primarily on the coast
Sunday was certainly a day of disruption, but Mexico is operating normally and remains one of the best places in the world for rest, relaxation, good food, and strong margaritas.
Please consider Mexico as your next vacation destination. I say that not just as someone who lives here, but for the thousands of hospitality professionals who rely on tourism. The bartenders, room attendants, valets, bell staff, chefs, drivers, and guides who are experts in their field and who truly feel the impact when trips are canceled.
They work hard every day to ensure guests have a safe and memorable stay. Tourism supports real families and real communities across this country.
Ready to travel with confidence? Book your Mexico trip with expert support from Clements Travel and get personalized planning and real-time safety guidance.
