Chaos erupts at Mexican airports after death of drug lord 'El Mencho'

Airlines have temporarily suspended flights to Puerto Vallarta due to a security situation following the death of drug lord 'El Mencho.'

Air Canada temporarily suspended operations in Mexico's Puerto Vallarta due to an ongoing security situation on Sunday, Feb. 22, per Reuters.

Flights to Puerto Vallarta and Guadalajara airports have been diverted or canceled by major airlines, including Delta Air Lines, American Airlines and Alaska Airlines.

The Mexican government released a statement on Feb. 22 that the Special Forces of the Mexican Army planned and executed an operation in Tapalpa, Jalisco, to arrest the leader of the Jalisco New Generation Cartel, Nemesio Rubén Oseguera Cervantes, commonly known as "El Mencho." Cervantes was killed at the scene.

The United States Department of State Consular Affairs posted on X at 1:17 p.m. that U.S. citizens in the following locations should shelter in place until further notice: Jalisco State (including Puerto Vallarta, Chapala, and Guadalajara), Tamaulipas State (including Reynosa and other municipalities), areas of Michoacan State, Guerrero State, and Nuevo Leon State. Canada also issued a high-risk travel advisory for Mexico, advising Canadians to avoid non-essential travel.

Videos circulating on social media show panic at Puerto Vallarta and Guadalajara airports in Mexico, with travelers dropping their luggage and running through the airport to take shelter behind chairs and flight desks. Photos and videos also show plumes of smoke swirling throughout the city of Puerto Vallarta, a major city in Jalisco.