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Americans recount chaos as Mexico unrest subsides after cartel boss death
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MEXICO CITY: Firsthand accounts are emerging from Americans trapped by this week’s cartel-related violence in Mexico following the death of cartel boss Nemesio Oseguera Cervantes, known as «El Mencho.»
As news spread of the Jalisco New Generation Cartel (CJNG) cartel boss’s murder, reports described armed clashes between rival criminal organizations and Mexican security forces, as well as coordinated vehicle burnings and temporary highway blockades. Mexican authorities say that such operations are often linked to internal cartel disputes or targeted law enforcement actions.
With the situation improving, Americans in the tourist area of Puerto Vallarta and beyond shared their experiences of the violent scenes they were caught up in.
A soldier stands guard by a charred vehicle after it was set on fire in Cointzio, Michoacán state, Mexico, Sunday, Feb. 22, 2026, after the death of the leader of the Jalisco New Generation Cartel, Nemesio Rubén Oseguera Cervantes, known as «El Mencho.» (AP Photo/Armando Solis) (Armando Solis/AP Photo)
«My group was seven people, and we were on our way to the main port in Puerto Vallarta with a local shuttle driver when we saw a bus stopped horizontally across the road in front of us. At first, we thought it was an accident, but then we saw people running full speed away from the bus,» Colorado resident Scott Posilkin told Fox News Digital.
«As we were trying to register what was happening, we saw a man with a gun come around the far side of the bus. He waved it at us and gave us a hand signal to turn around, which we immediately did. We tried to head in the opposite direction, but we encountered another burning car, which left us essentially trapped between the two.»
He continued, «We went down to the only beach we could access. One of the locals advised us that the safest place for us would be out on the water. We took a tender boat out to the snorkeling boat we were supposed to be on and stayed there for a few hours. From the water, we could see what looked like much of the town burning.»
Posilkin said, «Getting a boat back to shore took a long time, and at one point we even considered swimming because there was no one on the beach to come get us. The captain said he had never seen the beach empty like that in his life, and he grew up there. We eventually flagged down a passing tender that brought us to shore. There were cartel members on a motorcycle who yelled «Viva Mexico» at us, but we did not feel that they were threatening us in any way. Both our shuttle driver and the locals assured us that the cartel was not interested in harming Americans and that it was still safest for us to get home that way.»
A burned-out bus in the Puerto Vallarta area of Mexico. (Photo courtesy of Scott Posilkin)
Posilkin gave credit to the locals for their help and support. «I want to emphasize how above and beyond the locals went to help us during an incredibly stressful situation. Everyone we interacted with — from our boat captain to our shuttle driver — had grown up here, and none of them had ever seen anything like this before… More than anything, I feel bad for the locals. Tourism is their livelihood, and I worry about the impact this will have on them. This experience hasn’t changed my love for travel or for Mexico, though it was a serious ordeal.»
TROOPS REINFORCE PUERTO VALLARTA AS UNREST SHOWS SIGNS OF EASING FOLLOWING EL MENCHO’S DEATH
Tourists walk past a burned shop in Puerto Vallarta, Jalisco state, Mexico, on Feb. 24, 2026, after cartel-linked violence erupted following the death of Jalisco New Generation cartel leader Nemesio «El Mencho» Oseguera Cervantes. (Alfredo Estrella/AFP via Getty Images)
Rodolfo Flores, an American citizen and executive in the energy sector talked to Fox News Digital: «Although it wasn’t one of the worst-affected areas, on Sunday I saw a convenience store in Querétaro that had been burned down with a Molotov bomb.»
He said, «On the way to Mexico City, we saw cars and trucks that had been set on fire. This is just one example of how vulnerable we are, and it’s astonishing how these criminal organizations can terrorize the population. The authorities are to blame for allowing them to grow and expand with highly effective criminal cells.»
Security analysts note that cartel violence often intensifies following high-profile arrests, internal leadership disputes, or shifts in territorial control. Public displays of force — such as coordinated blockades or attacks on infrastructure — can serve as demonstrations of operational capacity.
Smoke rises after violence hit Puerto Vallarta, Mexico. (Photo courtesy of Scott Posilkin)
Another American, who asked to remain anonymous for security reasons, told Fox News Digital, «I left Coalcoman Michoacan on Sunday at 11:00 a.m. when the chaos began. As I left town, I saw them burning cars and trucks, pulling people out of their vehicles, and setting them on fire. Luckily, I managed to escape and cross the mountains; it’s a mountainous region. All along the way, I kept seeing burning cars and armed people. I was fortunate that they didn’t stop me,» he said.
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«I made it all the way to Colima and then to Guadalajara. Later, things got worse in my town. I heard they started burning gas stations and set fire to a supermarket. They closed off the town so people couldn’t get in or out.»
On Tuesday afternoon, the U.S. embassy in Mexico posted an update stating that «U.S. citizens are no longer urged to shelter in place.»
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mexican cartel violence,location mexico,travel,trade
INTERNACIONAL
Violencia en Río de Janeiro: un operativo policial dejó ocho muertos y los narcos respondieron quemando colectivos
Una mañana de terror sacudió este miércoles al centro de Río de Janeiro. Un operativo policial terminó con ocho muertos, entre ellos Claudio Augusto dos Santos, alias Jiló, señalado como jefe del narcotráfico en el Morro dos Prazeres, y Leandro Silva Souza, un vecino que fue tomado como rehén por los delincuentes.
Además, dos personas resultaron heridas y la violencia se desató en las calles: colectivos incendiados, barricadas y servicios interrumpidos.
Leé también: Horror en EE.UU.: un hombre fue acusado de matar y descuartizar a su padre adoptivo
El operativo y la reacción narco: caos en las calles de Río
El operativo del Batalhão de Operações Especiais (Bope) arrancó cerca de las 5 de la mañana en las comunidades de Prazeres, Fallet, Fogueteiro, Coroa, Escondidinho y Paula Ramos. Más de 150 agentes, apoyados por 14 patrulleros y dos blindados, avanzaron contra los narcos, según informó la Policía Militar. Narcos incendiaron colectivos en Río de Janeiro tras el operativo policial en Morro das Prazeres. (Foto: AFP/Mauro Pimentel)
En medio del despliegue, un grupo de delincuentes irrumpió en una vivienda y tomó como rehenes a Leandro Silva Souza y su esposa Roberta. El comandante del Bope, Marcelo Corbage, explicó que “en una acción cobarde, tomaron a una pareja como rehén. Buscábamos una solución pacífica, pero hubo disparos en la casa. El señor Leandro fue alcanzado en la cabeza. Roberta fue rescatada en estado de shock y declarará ante la Justicia”.
La violencia escaló rápidamente. En la Avenida Paulo de Frontin, en el barrio Rio Comprido, un colectivo fue incendiado y otros vehículos fueron secuestrados para bloquear el tránsito. El humo y las llamas paralizaron el acceso al túnel Rebouças y generaron un caos total en la zona.
Colectivos incendiados y servicios afectados: el impacto en la ciudad
El ataque a los colectivos fue una respuesta directa a la operación policial en las favelas controladas por el Comando Vermelho.
Según la empresa Rio Ônibus, cinco colectivos fueron usados como barricadas y uno de ellos terminó completamente incendiado. Siete líneas de colectivos debieron desviar su recorrido y al menos diez servicios resultaron afectados, complicando aún más la movilidad en la ciudad.
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Las escuelas tampoco escaparon al drama: siete establecimientos municipales suspendieron sus actividades y una unidad de atención primaria de salud cerró sus puertas. Otras tres funcionaron con restricciones.
El operativo terminó con varios muertos, entre ellos un veino que fue tomado como rehén. (Foto: AFP/Mauro Pimentel).
El Hospital Souza Aguiar recibió a diez personas baleadas durante la mañana. Ocho hombres llegaron sin vida, una mujer permanece internada en estado estable y un policía fue atendido por heridas leves y dado de alta.
La Policía Militar informó que secuestró dos fusiles, cuatro pistolas y dos revólveres durante el operativo. Además, detuvo a cuatro personas acusadas de provocar disturbios en las calles.
Quién era Jiló, el jefe narco abatido por el Bope
Claudio Augusto dos Santos, conocido como Jiló, tenía un largo historial delictivo desde los años 90: tráfico de drogas, homicidio, secuestro y robo, con diez órdenes de captura vigentes.
Cláudio Augusto dos Santos, apodado Jiló dos Prazeres, tenía 55 años. (Foto: gentileza g1).
La policía lo vinculaba con el asesinato del turista italiano Roberto Bardella en 2016, un caso que conmocionó a Brasil. Bardella y su primo ingresaron por error al Morro dos Prazeres en moto; el turista fue ejecutado y su cuerpo fue encontrado oculto en el baúl de un auto. Jiló había salido de prisión apenas un mes antes de ese crimen.
El Centro de Operaciones y Resiliencia (COR) de la ciudad alertó sobre cortes en varias calles clave, como Itapiru, Barão de Petrópolis, Estrela y la propia Avenida Paulo de Frontin. Cuatro patrulleros del Batalhão de Rondas Especiais e Controle de Multidão (Recom) bloquearon los accesos a los morros de Fallet y Prazeres.
Brasil, Río de Janeiro, Narcotráfico
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Belgium deploys military to guard Jewish sites after Iran-linked group claims Europe attacks
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Belgium is ramping up security for its Jewish community after a recent synagogue attack heightened fears across Europe, as a newly emerged terrorist group with suspected ties to Iran has claimed responsibility for a series of strikes on Jewish targets across the continent.
Harakat Ashab al-Yamin al-Islamiyya, translated as «The Islamic Movement of the Companions of the Right,» said it carried out multiple attacks recently, including the March 9 explosion at a synagogue in Liège, Belgium, according to a Fox News Digital report. The group also claimed responsibility for an arson attack on a synagogue in Rotterdam, Belgium, and an explosive attack on a Jewish school in Amsterdam.
A fourth incident at a Jewish site in Greece has been linked to the group by several sources, though details about that attack remain limited.
Israel’s Foreign Ministry said March 15 that «a jihadi group tied to an Iranian proxy» was behind the attacks, adding that «the IRGC continues to sponsor and export terror across the globe,» referring to the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps.
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U.S. Ambassador to Belgium Bill White visits the site of a synagogue damaged by an explosion early on Monday, in Liege, Belgium, March 9, 2026. (Yves Herman/Reuters)
Belgian Interior Minister Bernard Quintin described the blast outside a synagogue in the eastern city of Liège as a «despicable antisemitic act» that directly targeted the country’s Jewish community.
Prime Minister Bart De Wever responded on X Monday morning, writing, «Antisemitism is an attack on our values and our society, and we must combat it unequivocally. We stand in solidarity with the Jewish community in Liège and throughout the country.»
Joe Truzman, senior research analyst at the Foundation for Defense of Democracies and editor of its Long War Journal, told Fox News Digital that the war in Iran has likely «compelled the group, for whoever is behind this, to start launching these attacks.»
Truzman said he «suspect(s) this organization is being directed» and that there is «an entity behind it.»
In response to the attack in Liège, Belgian officials announced increased protection measures.
«To protect our Jewish community, we are deploying military personnel to support security on our streets. The safety of every citizen must be guaranteed,» Belgian Defense Minister Theo Francken wrote on X Monday. «Antisemitism and hatred against Jews will never be tolerated. We will stand firm against it, always.»
CANADA’S CARNEY UNDER PRESSURE TO ACT AFTER SYNAGOGUES SHOT AT IN LATEST ANTISEMITIC INCIDENTS
Police secure the site near a synagogue damaged by an explosion early on Monday, in Liege, Belgium, March 9, 2026. (Yves Herman/Reuters)
The move drew praise from U.S. officials.
«Last week, I urged Belgian officials to adequately protect Jewish communities—thank you, Defense Minister Francken and Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Prévot, for stepping up with increased security measures,» Ambassador Rabbi Yehuda Kaploun, special envoy to monitor and combat antisemitism at the State Department, wrote, adding that he looks forward to working with Belgian counterparts «to safeguard the Jewish community.»
Undersecretary of State Sarah B. Rogers also welcomed the decision, calling it a rare example of action rather than rhetoric.
«We hear a lot of talk about combating antisemitism and other forms of hatred — but it’s satisfying to see practical action, like this, to guard the public square against brute terrorist violence targeting Jews and others,» Rogers wrote on X. «Liberty in the tweets, order in the streets.»
Belgium long has maintained heightened security around Jewish institutions following past attacks, including the 2014 shooting at the Jewish Museum in Brussels that killed four people — one of the deadliest antisemitic attacks in the country’s modern history.
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Two women embrace near the scene of a terror attack outside Heaton Park Hebrew Congregation synagogue in Manchester, England, Oct. 2, 2025. (Christopher Furlong/Getty Images)
Still, Jewish organizations warn the current moment reflects a renewed and dangerous escalation.
«This criminal act against a Jewish house of worship is deeply alarming and part of a broader and troubling rise in antisemitic incidents and violent extremism across Europe,» the World Jewish Congress said in a March 10 statement.
Fox News Digital reporter Beth Bailey and Reuters contributed to this report.
anti semitism,europe,military,iran,war with iran
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Leaked teachers’ union K-12 training presentation rails against Trump administration, red states
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FIRST ON FOX: The National Education Association, which — with 3 million members — is one of the largest teachers’ unions in the country, conducted a training session last month filled with far-left political messaging, a watchdog group has revealed. The revelation comes as the union continues to face criticism for prioritizing activism over student needs.
The NEA event on Feb. 23, billed as an «Advocacy and Free Speech Rights for K-12 Educators» training, promoted a variety of leftist causes and criticisms of the Trump administration in slides obtained by Defending Education, a national organization that monitors political content in schools.
The NEA training argues that the Department of Education is «now actively committed to violating civil rights,» and that educators need to protect «vulnerable students.»
In the slide presentation, the NEA claims that «Democracy itself is at stake» due to an «unprecedented push to criminalize speech and political opposition.»
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NEA President Becky Pringle speaks at a rally. (Getty Images)
The teachers’ union appears to take issue with the Trump administration’s designation of Antifa as a terrorist organization given slides that show screenshots with the headlines: «Trump Signs Order Targeting Antifa Movement» and «White House Use of ‘Domestic Terrorist’ Doesn’t Match Legal Reality.»
The training made clear the importance of adhering to gender pronouns and the specified gender identity of K-12 students, saying that educators «can (and should address) students in the way they identify themselves,» regardless of whether the way they «identity» differs from school records.
The training also took aim at Republican-led states, saying, «It’s not just the Trump Administration… it’s Red State governments as well» in a slide with headlines lamenting banning DEI in schools, Texas wanting to «punish» students who protest ICE, and a headline that said, «Charlie Kirk’s death prompts Iowa bill revoking teacher licenses for celebrating political violence.»
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The presentation to members also includes a scenario providing potential responses to teachers who face backlash for displaying Black Lives Matter or Pride flags in their classrooms, instructing them to push back and ask questions like «was there a pre-existing policy?» and «is the policy viewpoint-neutral and applied in a neutral manner?»
Educators are told in the agenda for the training that they will learn about threats to educators’ voice and freedom, as well as guidance «for when legal protections will be more robust or when educators may be more at risk.»
«This is not, in any sense, a training on educator rights,» Chloe Hunt, investigative reporter for Defending Education, told Fox News Digital. «It is a political framing of the classroom, in which all Republicans are demonized and conservatives are portrayed as threats to education.»
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Fox News Digital reached out to the NEA for comment.
In recent months, the NEA has faced strong pushback from conservatives and parents’ rights activists over the millions of dollars it has funneled to left-wing groups, with critics pointing to the number of students struggling with poor test scores at the same time.
In January, an employee within the NEA, spoke out against the «toxic» politics inside the union’s headquarters.
«It’s a very liberal place. There’s only a handful of conservatives that work at NEA, and if you are, it’s like you just don’t say anything, because it’s a very toxic environment if you do say something,» an NEA employee, who is remaining anonymous due to concerns of retribution, told Fox News Digital. «It’s crazy, they’ll send out this weekly newsletter of ‘Trump’s a fascist’ and blast it to all the states.»
«It’s a cult. It’s 100% a cult and if you don’t have their mindset, you’re the enemy.»
campus radicals,politics,education
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