Jalisco cartel road blocks

[Max Rockatansky]

I happen to be in the middle of Jalisco currently.  Apparently the Mexican military killed the head of the Jalisco New Generation Cartel (Nemesio Oseguera Cervantes) this morning up by Tapala:

https://edition.cnn.com/2026/02/22/americas/mexico-kill-drug-mencho-latam-intl

https://espanol.yahoo.com/noticias/muere-l%C3%ADder-c%C3%A1rtel-jalisco-generaci%C3%B3n-174234728.html

The cartel has retaliated by setting fires to several vehicles and put other debris like tire piles to obstruct traffic.  So far I've seen reports of blockages on Federal Highway 80 west of Acatlán de Juárez, several roads in Puerto Vallarta, Jalisco State Highway 401, a bunch of arterial roads in Guadalajara, Federal Highway 15 near Zapopan and Federal Highway 23 near Guadalajara International Airport.

At the moment the airport is shut down and the Jalisco state government is advising to not travel.  Right now I'm holed up at one of the family homes just waiting things out with my wife and father in law.  We were going to head out today but caught word of the road blocks around breakfast.  I'm to understand a couple neighboring states are also affected.

Kind of a grim subject I suppose.  Apparently this is a first for even the locals around here according to my wife's aunt. 

[JayhawkCO]

I happen to be in the middle of Jalisco currently.  Apparently the Mexican military killed the head of the Jalisco New Generation Cartel (Nemesio Oseguera Cervantes) this morning up by Tapala:

https://edition.cnn.com/2026/02/22/americas/mexico-kill-drug-mencho-latam-intl

https://espanol.yahoo.com/noticias/muere-l%C3%ADder-c%C3%A1rtel-jalisco-generaci%C3%B3n-174234728.html

The cartel has retaliated by setting fires to several vehicles and put other debris like tire piles to obstruct traffic.  So far I've seen reports of blockages on Federal Highway 80 west of Acatlán de Juárez, several roads in Puerto Vallarta, Jalisco State Highway 401, a bunch of arterial roads in Guadalajara, Federal Highway 15 near Zapopan and Federal Highway 23 near Guadalajara International Airport.

At the moment the airport is shut down and the Jalisco state government is advising to not travel.  Right now I'm holed up at one of the family homes just waiting things out with my wife and father in law.  We were going to head out today but caught word of the road blocks around breakfast.  I'm to understand a couple neighboring states are also affected.

Kind of a grim subject I suppose.  Apparently this is a first for even the locals around here according to my wife's aunt. 

Be safe man. The footage down there is ugly. At least you're not in downtown Puerto Vallarta.

[Max Rockatansky]

We are about four hours from Puerto Vallarta.  While it isn't quite as bad here the whole state of Jalisco seems to have had issues. 

There is a couple burned vehicles out on the highway in front of the town we are staying at.  For some reason the cartel members seem to be targeting Oxxo stores and welfare banks.  Jalisco announced the cancellation of school tomorrow. 

[Jhoan Seb]

I wish you the best of luck. I am very sorry about what is happening in Mexico. Let's hope the situation improves as the authorities keep the control in the state.

[LilianaUwU]

Is the Mexican military fucking stupid? Because that's what happens when you fuck with the cartels.

[kalvado]

Is the Mexican military fucking stupid? Because that's what happens when you fuck with the cartels.

You may think about Quebec maple syrup cartel.. drug cartels are a bit different story...

[LilianaUwU]

Is the Mexican military fucking stupid? Because that's what happens when you fuck with the cartels.

You may think about Quebec maple syrup cartel.. drug cartels are a bit different story...

Here, have some é so you can spell Québec right: ééééééééééééééééééééééééééééééééééééééééé

[Rothman]

Is the Mexican military fucking stupid? Because that's what happens when you fuck with the cartels.

You may think about Quebec maple syrup cartel.. drug cartels are a bit different story...

Here, have some é so you can spell Québec right: ééééééééééééééééééééééééééééééééééééééééé

Quebéc!

[LilianaUwU]

Is the Mexican military fucking stupid? Because that's what happens when you fuck with the cartels.

You may think about Quebec maple syrup cartel.. drug cartels are a bit different story...

Here, have some é so you can spell Québec right: ééééééééééééééééééééééééééééééééééééééééé

Quebéc!

I'm taking Olive Garden's side.

[NE2]

I'm taking Olive Garden's side.

Which one, soup or salad?

[CoreySamson]

Is the Mexican military fucking stupid? Because that's what happens when you fuck with the cartels.

I would expect that an evil organization such as that cartel would fight back hard. Props to the Mexican government for having the balls to take on the cartels for once.


Hoping and praying that you stay safe, Max!

[ZLoth]

I happen to be in the middle of Jalisco currently.  Apparently the Mexican military killed the head of the Jalisco New Generation Cartel (Nemesio Oseguera Cervantes) this morning up by Tapala

(text deleted)

At the moment the airport is shut down and the Jalisco state government is advising to not travel.  Right now I'm holed up at one of the family homes just waiting things out with my wife and father in law.  We were going to head out today but caught word of the road blocks around breakfast.  I'm to understand a couple neighboring states are also affected.

Please be safe as you shelter in place. I'm looking at the State Department Travel Advisory which was last updated in August, 2025, and there are areas of Mexico that are flagged as level 4-Do Not Travel. I suppose it is going to get an update today.

I am also aware of port cancellations in the per Cruise Critic, Cruise Fever, and Cruise Hive.

[Rothman]

Pretty sad.  Some of us remember when Puerto Vallarta was considered a safe tourist place (e.g., Herbie Goes Bananas ).

[gonealookin]

Pretty sad.  Some of us remember when Puerto Vallarta was considered a safe tourist place (e.g., Herbie Goes Bananas ).

Acapulco was the place for Americans to go for a Mexico beach vacation several decades ago.  The cliff diving there was a mainstay on Wide World of Sports for years.  Crime and violence went so far out of control there that it's basically been completely abandoned by foreign tourists.

[ZLoth]

Acapulco was the place for Americans to go for a Mexico beach vacation several decades ago.  The cliff diving there was a mainstay on Wide World of Sports for years.  Crime and violence went so far out of control there that it's basically been completely abandoned by foreign tourists.

I remember the cliff divers from when I took a Southern Mexican Riviera cruise back in 2005. Unfortunately, Acapulco is part of the Mexican state of Guerrero which is classified by the state department as a level 4-Do Not Travel area.

[Max Rockatansky]

There wasn't really anything newsworthy in southern Jalisco that I can find that happened over night.  Most of the news is old or about random destroyed cars still sitting around.  There is a decent amount of locals in town in their cars coming and going.  The State Department didn't have any updates either (they aren't usually quick at updating Levels). 

At some point we'll need to get some additional groceries for my aunt's house.  Most of the corner stores open around 10 AM, I guess we'll see if that holds true this morning.  I wouldn't mind getting a shower at the other house, but that is about a five block walk.

[Rothman]

Pretty sad.  Some of us remember when Puerto Vallarta was considered a safe tourist place (e.g., Herbie Goes Bananas ).

Acapulco was the place for Americans to go for a Mexico beach vacation several decades ago.  The cliff diving there was a mainstay on Wide World of Sports for years.  Crime and violence went so far out of control there that it's basically been completely abandoned by foreign tourists.

Indeed.  Another sad development.

[Bobby5280]

The situation there in Mexico makes me angry toward the drug users in the US. If us Americans didn't consume so much hard drugs the cartels in Mexico wouldn't be nearly as powerful.

[CoreySamson]

The situation there in Mexico makes me angry toward the drug users in the US. If us Americans didn't consume so much hard drugs the cartels in Mexico wouldn't be nearly as powerful.

I don't think directing your ire towards the drug users (who are often in desperate, dire straits and are addicted with no easy way out) is the best response to this. I think we should have compassion for them so they can have support to get out of their drug use.

[ZLoth]

The situation there in Mexico makes me angry toward the drug users in the US. If us Americans didn't consume so much hard drugs the cartels in Mexico wouldn't be nearly as powerful.

There are multiple child threads about this topic that go beyond "recreational medication". Unfortunately, most would go into the strong politics territory.

As long as Max and his wife are safe and can return home safely.... that's the important part.

[Max Rockatansky]

We mostly stocked up at the neighborhood grocery stores this morning.  The big store out in the plaza was open but closed a couple minutes ago.  Oddly the most difficult thing to find was a litter of Coca Cola. 

It appears Jalisco State Highway 401 is mostly back open as the burned cars have been pushed out of the way.  Federal Highway 80 is in really rough shape west of Acatlán de Juárez.  We have a friend staying out that way and she isn't going to be able to get to the airport for her return flight to Fresno. 

[kphoger]

Props to the Mexican government for having the balls to take on the cartels for once.

Huh?  The Mexican government has been waging its war against the cartels for almost 20 years now.

[7/8]

Pretty sad.  Some of us remember when Puerto Vallarta was considered a safe tourist place (e.g., Herbie Goes Bananas ).

You make it sound like it's been a long time since PVR was safe, but hasn't it been considered a pretty safe tourist spot up until these recent events? The airport has flights all over the US and Canada. My brother (a pilot) has flown there numerous times and said it was really nice (nicer than the actual town of Cancun).

Stay safe, Max, and hopefully this doesn't become a long-term problem for the area.

[Max Rockatansky]

Here is some of the early cleanup photos from Jalisco State Highway 401:
 
https://www.facebook.com/100063464624089/posts/pfbid065iWGdDxwLAVYzbrHfD26gnc8m2nCcbHfEFhfaGNV7TBNSmU11dJYrdiac4X5xa2l/?mibextid=wwXIfr

https://m.facebook.com/story.php?story_fbid=pfbid0RUabisMXJXm2Noo9vvfRSxVoqL1neKWZpUqWPmJHtFazcd4zz3ArDaVajLnM2jKzl&id=100063464624089&mibextid=wwXIfr

I haven't heard anything about Federal Highway 54D or the Guadalajara Super Bypass getting hit.  I guess that gives us a back way out of the area if we need it.  At the moment our plan is to stick to our current flight and let things cool down.

[Max Rockatansky]

Jalisco opened schools and transportation options back up this morning.  During the state president's speech yesterday he noted there wasn't any known new blockades on Monday.  I'm not fully clear if the Code Red has been lifted (I found it hard to interpret) but it appears to have been.

For those who don't know, a "Code Red" is similar to an FPCON Delta or a shelter in place order.  So, at present moment our travel plans to leave have not been affected.