The US Department of State issued a “shelter in place” alert for US citizens in parts of Mexico affected by criminal activity and road blockages after a top cartel leader was killed by local authorities.
The security alert covers the state of Jalisco, which has tourist hubs including Puerto Vallarta and Guadalajara. The alert also includes areas in the states of Tamaulipas, Michoacán, Guerrero and Nuevo León.
Nemesio Rubén Oseguera Cervantes, known as “El Mencho,” was killed in a federal operation against the Jalisco New Generation Cartel on Sunday morning, according to people familiar with the matter.
After his death, criminal groups burned cars and trucks to block roads in different areas of Jalisco, according to local outlets Reforma and Milenio. Neighbors in Guadalajara shared videos of armed groups shooting car tires to block intersections and the blockades spread to other states such as Michoacán and Guanajuato.
The State Department is recommending that Americans avoid areas around law enforcement activity and crowd, keep family and friends advised of their locations, monitor local updates, and seek shelter and minimize unnecessary movements.
Christopher Landau, the deputy US secretary of state, called Oseguera’s death “a great development for Mexico, the US, Latin America, and the world” in a social media post.