INTERNACIONAL
Tourists trapped in Puerto Vallarta recount cartel retaliation after El Mencho killed
NEWYou can now listen to Fox News articles!
Following the reported killing of major cartel leader Nemesio Oseguera, known as El Mencho, multiple American tourists vacationing in Puerto Vallarta told Fox News Digital they unexpectedly found themselves in the middle of a violent cartel retaliation.
As airlines canceled flights and authorities issued shelter-in-place orders, stranded visitors reported cars set ablaze, suspected cartel members blocking major roads, and stores ransacked by looters — scenes some witnesses said made parts of the popular resort city feel like «a war breaking out in the streets.»
Witnesses said they were forced to evacuate their rooms, manage with limited hotel food, and even venture outside in search of meals while waiting for Mexican authorities to regain control of the city.
Staying at an Airbnb near a main road, Eugene Marchenko, 37, of Charleston, South Carolina, told Fox News Digital he woke up to blaring horns and saw six cars completely engulfed in flames just outside his balcony. He and his wife, who had arrived in Mexico only a day earlier, were forced to evacuate for several hours, fearing that a nearby fuel tanker, also ablaze, could explode.
MAJOR DRUG LORD ‘EL MENCHO’ KILLED IN MEXICAN MILITARY OPERATION WITH U.S. INTELLIGENCE SUPPORT
«I looked down and they’re completely engulfed in flames,» Marchenko said. «It was six cars in total that burned and one fuel tanker.»
He said he watched a neighbor’s video showing men he believed to be cartel members forcing people out of their vehicles, then pouring gasoline and setting the cars on fire.
«They told the people to leave,» Marchenko said. «Then they were taking the gas and pouring the gas on the vehicle and waiting until everybody was clear before they were setting it on fire.»
Later in the afternoon, Marchenko ventured out to find food and said he saw pharmacies and corner stores completely burned down, adding that younger crowds had broken into nearby buildings to loot beer and cigarettes.
CARTELS OUTGUN POLICE: ROCKET LAUNCHERS SEIZED IN EL MENCHO RAID SPOTLIGHT CJNG FIREPOWER
Vehicles appear to carry multiple armed forces in Puerto Vallarta. (Fox News Digital)
Videos obtained by Fox News Digital show a helicopter hovering above his building, circling as if searching for someone, while Mexican armed forces and armored vehicles moved through the streets below.
Public transportation and Ubers had come to a complete halt, Marchenko added, saying that even if flights resume, he is unsure how they would reach the airport.
Despite the chaos, Marchenko noted that no one appeared to panic.
«There’s definitely not any panic from almost nobody here,» he said. «I think it’s interesting, almost everybody was just annoyed more than anything.»
SOCCER MATCHES POSTPONED AFTER MEXICO KILLS CARTEL LEADER ‘EL MENCHO’ NEAR WORLD CUP HOST
A plume of smoke rises in Puerto Vallarta on Feb. 22, 2026. (Fox News Digital)
Adriana Belli, 49, another visitor from Miami, told Fox News Digital that she had planned to spend over a week in Mexico to attend a wedding in Guadalajara and celebrate a friend’s birthday in Mexico City.
Belli said the sudden outbreak of violence was especially shocking, noting that she had spoken with American tourists staying at her Marriott resort who insisted the area was extremely safe after visiting Puerto Vallarta for 24 years.
She added that guests who had gone to the airport were under lockdown and were managing with the limited food available.
«A lot of the other tourists who had early morning flights were actually able to get to the airport, but they are now locked down in the airport and unable to leave,» she said. «So what we heard from other guests is they are just sort of surviving off of granola bars.»
A fuel tanker was set ablaze near a gas station in Puerto Vallarta on Feb. 22, 2026. (Fox News Digital)
Another source staying at a separate resort told Fox News Digital that restaurants and room service had been shut down. Guests were brought to the lobby for what was described as «the last bit of food.»
He added that this was the first trip where he and his wife were away from their 4-year-old son, and that he had to call home to tell family members where to find their will.
«This is the first time we’ve ever been away from him. My wife was saying, ‘We’re never leaving him again,’» he said. «I had to call my mom today and, you know, just tell her, ‘Look, here’s where my will is. We just created this. I don’t want you to panic, but I may need you to stay a couple days extra with my son.’»
CLICK HERE TO DOWNLOAD THE FOX NEWS APP
He added that, despite the area appearing like a war zone, he is remaining optimistic that the authorities will restore order in the coming days.
Mexico’s Defense Department said Sunday that Oseguera was killed in a military operation. The news reportedly triggered widespread unrest and uncertainty across multiple states as Mexican authorities worked to stabilize the region.
location mexico,mexican cartel violence,world,latin america
NEWYou can now listen to Fox News articles!
Greenland’s rejection of President Donald Trump sending a U.S. military hospital ship has touched off a private-public healthcare debate amid ongoing diplomatic talks about Arctic security.
Greenland’s Prime Minister Jens-Frederik Nielsen on Sunday turned down Trump’s offer, and now Trump special envoy to Greenland, Louisiana Gov. Jeff Landry, has weighed in.
«Shame on Prime Minister Jens-Frederik Nielsen!» Landry wrote in response to a Fox News report on Nielsen’s objection. «President Donald J. Trump and America care. After speaking to many Greenlanders about the day to day problems they face, one issue stood out — healthcare.»
Greenland has sought more self-governance from Denmark under the Self Government Act in 2009 to take more local authority under home rule, but Danish officials’ instant rejection of Trump’s offer is aligned with Greenland’s own rejection that came later Sunday.
CANADA AND FRANCE OPENING NEW CONSULATES IN GREENLAND’S CAPITAL AMID TRUMP PRESSURE
Greenland has rejected the Trump administration’s push to take over the Danish territory. (Thomas Traasdahl/Ritzau Scanpix / AFP via Getty Images; Al Drago/Bloomberg via Getty Images)
«President Trump’s idea of sending an American hospital ship here to Greenland has been noted,» Nielsen wrote in a translated Facebook post. «But we have a public healthcare system where treatment is free for citizens.
«It is a deliberate choice.»
Greenland remains open to dialogue and cooperation with the U.S., with a caveat, according to Nielsen.
«But talk to us instead of just making more or less random outbursts on social media,» Nielsen said in his own public Facebook protestation.
TRUMP KEEPS MACRON UNDER SPOTLIGHT AS GREENLAND TALKS GRIND FORWARD FROM DAVOS
Louisiana GOP Gov. Jeff Landry speaks during a meeting with President Donald Trump last year. (Scott Olson/Getty Images)
Greenland’s «free for citizens» care is not sufficient, Landry argued in his Facebook response posted to his campaign’s page.
«Many villages and small towns lack basic services that Americans often take for granted,» Landry’s post continued. «Small settlements are without permanent doctors, diagnostic tools, or specialist care – forcing residents to travel great distances for vital treatments that should be available at home.»
The healthcare issue underlies the overreaching Trump hopes to annex Greenland to secure the strategic Arctic region from Russian and Chinese designs, calling it a vital issue for «national security» for both the U.S. and the NATO alliance.
«A healthy Greenland is vital for America’s national security,» Landry’s post concluded. «America is committed to defending Greenland, and that begins by ensuring its people are defended against basic illnesses and ailments.
«These missions matter because health is inseparable from security. America’s commitment to defending Greenland must begin with ensuring its people are healthy.»
The recent dust-up came after Denmark’s Joint Arctic Command evacuated a crew member who required urgent medical treatment from a U.S. submarine in Greenlandic waters, seven nautical miles outside of Greenland’s capital of Nuuk.
«Working with the fantastic Governor of Louisiana, Jeff Landry, we are going to send a great hospital boat to Greenland to take care of the many people who are sick, and not being taken care of there,» Trump wrote Saturday night on Truth Social. «It’s on the way!!!»
That post sparked objection from both Danish Defense Minister Troels Lund Poulsen and Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen on Sunday.
«The Greenlandic population receives the healthcare it needs,» Poulsen told Danish broadcaster DR, according to Reuters. «They receive it either in Greenland, or, if they require specialized treatment, they receive it in Denmark.
VANCE: US SHOULD GET ‘SOME BENEFIT’ FROM GREENLAND IF IT’S GOING TO BE ‘ON THE HOOK’ FOR PROTECTING TERRITORY
«So it’s not as if there’s a need for a special healthcare initiative in Greenland.»
Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen is rejecting President Donald Trump’s offer to send a U.S. military hospital ship to Greenland, suggesting Denmark’s public healthcare system is sufficient. (Anna Moneymaker/Getty Images; Kirsty Wigglesworth – WPA Pool/Getty Images)
Frederiksen spun the Trump offer into a political debate on public healthcare.
«Am happy to live in a country where there is free and equal access to health for all,» Frederiksen wrote in a translated post, sharing a Democrat attack point on Trump’s Republican Party’s struggles to reform what Trump has rebuked as a «failure» of Obamacare. «Where it’s not insurances and wealth that determine whether you get proper treatment. You have the same approach in Greenland.»
CLICK HERE TO DOWNLOAD THE FOX NEWS APP
The U.S. Navy has two hospital ships, the Mercy and the Comfort. Both were last docked in Alabama for repairs, according to Reuters.
greenland,health care healthy living,foreign policy,nato,donald trump,state department
NEWYou can now listen to Fox News articles!
North Korean leader Kim Jong Un was re-elected as general secretary of the ruling Workers’ Party of Korea, according to a press release from the country’s state-run media.
The decision was announced on Monday by the Korean Central News Agency (KCNA), which said the party formally adopted the measure on Feb. 22 during its Ninth Congress.
KCNA described the move as reflecting the «unanimous desire» of party members, the military and the public, praising Kim as the «centre of unity and leadership» and crediting him with strengthening the country’s nuclear deterrence and advancing economic and military development.
The lengthy statement highlighted the country’s achievements over the past five years, including improvements to national defense capabilities and economic planning.
KIM JONG UN APPEARS WITH DAUGHTER AT MAUSOLEUM, FUELING SUCCESSION SPECULATION
In this photo provided by the North Korean government, leader Kim Jong Un claps after being re-elected to the top post of the ruling Workers’ Party during its congress in Pyongyang on Feb. 22, 2026. (Korean Central News Agency/Korea News Service via AP)
It also reaffirmed Kim’s role as the guiding figure in the country’s «socialist construction.»
Kim, who has been in power since 2011, has served as general secretary of the Workers’ Party since 2021, when he formally assumed the title previously held by his late father, Kim Jong Il.
An analysis by the American Enterprise Institute (AEI) suggests North Korea could use the conclusion of the Ninth Party Congress to unveil new strategic weapons and highlight progress under its 2021–2025 military modernization plan.
SOUTH KOREAN COURT RULES EX-PRESIDENT YOON SUK YEOL GUILTY IN INSURRECTION TRIAL
In this photo provided by the North Korean government, leader Kim Jong Un attends the ruling Workers’ Party Congress in Pyongyang on Feb. 22, 2026. (Korean Central News Agency/Korea News Service via AP)
The report notes Pyongyang may showcase advances in intercontinental ballistic missiles, submarine-launched ballistic missiles and hypersonic glide vehicles as it seeks to improve the survivability and accuracy of its nuclear capabilities.
AEI assessed that Kim is also likely to outline modernization goals for the 2026–2030 period, potentially emphasizing second-strike capabilities, faster launch readiness and more diverse delivery systems.
NORTH KOREA FIRES MISSILE AS US, SOUTH KOREA BEGIN THEIR 1ST JOINT MILITARY EXERCISE OF TRUMP’S 2ND TERM
CLICK HERE TO DOWNLOAD THE FOX NEWS APP
Beyond military issues, the analysis says Kim may frame the current five-year economic plan as a success, pointing to increased trade with Russia and China and efforts under his «20×10 Regional Development Policy» to reduce rural-urban disparities.
north korea,kim jong un,world
Panamá avanza en su objetivo de ampliar el Humedal Ramsar Punta Patiño mediante recorridos técnicos, monitoreo ambiental y trabajo comunitario desarrollados en la provincia de Darién, en un proceso que busca fortalecer la protección de uno de los ecosistemas más relevantes del país.
Guardaparques del Ministerio de Ambiente (MiAmbiente) y de la Asociación Nacional para la Conservación de la Naturaleza (ANCÓN) realizaron patrullajes terrestres y marítimos enfocados en verificar límites actuales, evaluar zonas propuestas para anexión y recopilar información científica que sustente la ampliación.
Las acciones incluyeron 32 kilómetros por vía acuática y 8 kilómetros por vía terrestre, abarcando límites perimetrales actuales y territorios considerados estratégicos para la conectividad ecológica.
En paralelo, se desarrollaron espacios de diálogo comunitario con representantes de Punta Alegre, Taimatí, Sambú y Garachine, donde se abordaron beneficios ambientales, alcances del proyecto y zonas de interés prioritario que podrían incorporarse al sitio Ramsar.
El proceso contempló también trabajos científicos en campo, incluyendo monitoreo de aves, evaluaciones forestales y establecimiento de parcelas de investigación, elementos que forman parte del sustento técnico requerido para la ampliación.
Equipos especializados realizaron muestreos de agua con instrumentos multiparámetro, mediciones de salinidad y temperatura, colecta de zooplancton y registros de profundidad, con el objetivo de evaluar la salud del ecosistema y su dinámica hidrológica.
Dentro de la ruta de evaluación se incluyeron Guagaral, Playa Cueca, lagunas cercanas a Sambú y sectores próximos a Garachine, áreas consideradas clave para justificar la expansión del humedal y fortalecer la conservación del Corredor Biológico Serranía de Bagre.
En la comunidad de Punta Alegre, autoridades presentaron mapas topográficos y trabajaron con residentes en la delimitación participativa de zonas potenciales para anexión, registrando el proceso mediante fotografías georreferenciadas.
La Reserva Natural Privada Punta Patiño, administrada por ANCÓN, constituye la primera reserva natural privada del país y protege una de las muestras más representativas del bosque tropical panameño, con ecosistemas que incluyen manglares, humedales costeros y bosques inundables.
Su integración al sistema Ramsar responde a la importancia ecológica del área, particularmente como hábitat de especies, regulador hídrico y barrera natural frente a eventos climáticos extremos.
Un sitio Ramsar es un humedal reconocido internacionalmente bajo la Convención Ramsar, tratado ambiental que promueve la conservación y uso sostenible de estos ecosistemas debido a su valor para la biodiversidad, el almacenamiento de carbono, la mitigación de inundaciones y el sustento de comunidades locales.
En materia normativa, Panamá incorporó la Convención Ramsar mediante la Ley 6 de 1989 y cuenta con disposiciones como la Ley General de Ambiente (Ley 41 de 1998), normas de ordenamiento territorial, regulaciones sobre manglares y la Política Nacional de Humedales aprobada en 2018.
La ampliación de Punta Patiño se inserta en esa estrategia global de protección de humedales de importancia internacional.
Panamá cuenta con otros sitios Ramsar como Bahía de Panamá, San San Pond Sak y el Golfo de Montijo, reconocidos por su relevancia para aves migratorias, manglares y ecosistemas costeros, lo que refleja la diversidad de humedales presentes en el país.
En ese contexto, la ampliación de Punta Patiño busca incrementar la cobertura protegida, mejorar la gestión ambiental y reforzar la conectividad entre ecosistemas terrestres y marinos.
Desde el punto de vista ecológico, la expansión propuesta apunta a proteger zonas de transición entre bosques, manglares y áreas marinas, ecosistemas que funcionan como corredores biológicos y refugios para especies amenazadas.
Autoridades ambientales señalan que la incorporación de nuevas áreas permitiría fortalecer procesos de restauración, mejorar la vigilancia ambiental y ampliar el monitoreo científico dentro del sitio Ramsar.
El componente comunitario constituye un eje central del proceso, ya que la ampliación requiere participación local y reconocimiento de usos tradicionales del territorio.
Las reuniones desarrolladas durante los patrullajes permitieron identificar preocupaciones, oportunidades de conservación y posibles beneficios socioeconómicos, incluyendo ecoturismo, investigación científica y programas de educación ambiental vinculados al humedal.
El proceso de ampliación continuará con evaluaciones técnicas, consultas comunitarias y revisión cartográfica, etapas necesarias para sustentar la modificación de límites y su eventual reconocimiento internacional.
Las autoridades destacan que la iniciativa busca consolidar la protección de Punta Patiño dentro del sistema Ramsar y reforzar el papel de los humedales como infraestructura natural clave para la resiliencia ambiental del país.
Igualmente, señalan que la gestión futura de los humedales debe priorizar el ordenamiento territorial, el control del turismo, la protección de cuencas hidrográficas y la integración de estos ecosistemas en las políticas de adaptación al cambio climático.
La presión sobre los humedales panameños se ha incrementado en los últimos años como resultado de la expansión urbana, los rellenos, los cambios en el uso del suelo, el turismo no regulado, la contaminación y los efectos del cambio climático.
corresponsal:Desde Panamá
Una leyenda del fútbol sala se preocupó por el deporte: ¿la Kings League le gana la pelea al futsal?
“Likes” bajo sospecha: la maquinaria de seguidores falsos de los gobernadores en las redes sociales
El Ministro de Seguridad de Entre Ríos habló del plan narco para matarlo: “Contrataron a sicarios uruguayos porque les salía más barato”
Por qué los títulos de algunos libros están escritos en el lomo de arriba hacia abajo, según una especialista
Trump envoy rebukes Greenland leader for rejecting hospital ship proposal
Moria Casán agasajó a Mirtha Legrand el día de su cumpleaños: “La one absoluta del espectáculo”
Escándalo en MasterChef: una famosa abandonó a los gritos y acusando que está todo arreglado
Del himno peronista de Kelly Olmos al exabrupto de Agustina Propato: las perlitas del debate por la reforma laboral
Villarruel cuestionó la apertura de importaciones: «Sin industria, se pasa a depender de China»
“Ahora es la hora de jugarse”: el mensaje de Patricia Bullrich a los empresarios tras aprobarse la reforma laboral
ECONOMIA2 días agoVillarruel cuestionó la apertura de importaciones: «Sin industria, se pasa a depender de China»
- POLITICA2 días ago
“Ahora es la hora de jugarse”: el mensaje de Patricia Bullrich a los empresarios tras aprobarse la reforma laboral
- ECONOMIA2 días ago
Según un especialista, el precio de la carne se mantendrá alto “entre dos y tres años”
