By Gina Hill | Alaska Headline Living | February 2026
If you or someone you love is currently vacationing in Cancun, Puerto Vallarta, Tijuana, or other listed areas, the State Department is advising Americans to shelter in place until further notice. Stay inside. Avoid travel. Keep loved ones updated. Monitor local authorities.
This is not panic time. It is caution time.
The alert was issued February 22 by the United States Department of State through the U.S. Mission to Mexico following a major Mexican military operation targeting cartel leadership in western Mexico.
According to a public statement from Mexico’s Secretariat of National Defense, Special Forces of the Mexican Army carried out an operation in Tapalpa, in the state of Jalisco. The mission involved Mexican Army Special Forces, Air Force aircraft, and the National Guard’s Immediate Reaction Special Force.
Mexican officials reported that troops were attacked during the operation and returned fire. Several members of the Jalisco New Generation Cartel were killed. Two additional suspects were detained. Authorities say weapons and armored vehicles were seized, including rocket launchers described as capable of downing aircraft and destroying armored vehicles.
The statement identified the primary target as “Ruben ‘N’ (a) Mencho.” Mexican officials noted that forensic authorities are conducting formal identification procedures. The nickname “Mencho” has long been associated with Nemesio Oseguera Cervantes, a figure linked by authorities to cartel leadership., though officials have not publicly finalized identification.
The Mexican government also acknowledged that, within the framework of bilateral cooperation, complementary intelligence information was provided by U.S. authorities.
In the aftermath of such operations, cartel retaliation is a known risk. That can include road blockages, burning vehicles, business closures, transportation disruptions, and other destabilizing tactics intended to create chaos or pressure authorities.
The State Department alert applies to areas including:
- Jalisco, including Puerto Vallarta, Chapala, and Guadalajara
- Baja California, including Tijuana, Tecate, and Ensenada
- Quintana Roo, including Cancun, Cozumel, Playa del Carmen, and Tulum
- Portions of Guanajuato, Guerrero, Michoacan, Oaxaca, Nuevo Leon, and Tamaulipas
While airports remain open, road access has been disrupted in some regions. Flight cancellations have been reported in Guadalajara and Puerto Vallarta. In Puerto Vallarta, taxis and rideshare services were suspended at the time of the alert. Some businesses temporarily closed amid the security response.
U.S. government personnel in several affected regions have also been directed to shelter in place.
👉🏿 For Alaska families, this matters. Many Alaskans winter in Mexico, cruise through Cozumel, or travel south during the darkest stretch of winter. If you have family in these regions, now is the time to check in. Confirm they are indoors, limiting movement, and monitoring official updates.
The guidance remains straightforward: shelter in place, avoid unnecessary travel, stay alert, and maintain communication with loved ones.
Caution, not panic.
