After the reported killing of major cartel leader Nemesio Oseguera, known as El Mencho, several American tourists on vacation in told Digital that they unexpectedly found themselves in the midst of a violent cartel retaliation.
As airlines canceled flights and authorities issued shelter-in-place orders, stranded visitors reported cars being set ablaze, suspected cartel members blocking major roads, and stores being 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 compelled to evacuate their rooms, make do with limited hotel food, and even go 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 Digital that 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.
“I looked down and they were completely engulfed in flames,” Marchenko said. “There were 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 it on the vehicle and waiting until everybody was clear before setting it on fire.”
Later in the afternoon, Marchenko went 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.
Videos obtained by Digital show a helicopter hovering above his building, circling as if searching for someone, while Mexican moved through the streets below.
Public transportation and Ubers had come to a complete stop, Marchenko added, saying that even if flights resume, he is unsure how they would get to the airport.
Despite the chaos, Marchenko noted that no one seemed 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.”
Adriana Belli, 49, another, told 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 particularly 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 making do 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.”
Another source staying at told 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.’”
He added that, despite the area looking 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. The news reportedly triggered widespread unrest and uncertainty across multiple states as Mexican authorities worked to stabilize the region.