Californians trapped as cartel unleashes hell near US border with drug lord’s slaying: ‘Pray for us’

Californians are stranded in Mexico as violence engulfs the popular tourist town and spills over to the US border.

Americans in Puerto Vallarta have been urged to stay indoors as gangs seek bloodshed following the killing of Jalisco New Generation Cartel leader Nemesio “El Mencho” Oseguera Cervantes during a military raid on Sunday.

Carnage spread across the country’s west coast on Sunday, with reports of an attack approaching the United States in Baja California while gunfire erupted at Guadalajara International Airport.

Cars and businesses are also being set on fire across the country in Cozumel, Playa del Carmen, Tulum and Cancun to the east.

Among those stranded in Puerto Vallarta was Katy Holloman, who was on her way to the airport when she was suddenly told to stay at a hotel.

A make-up artist from El Dorado Hills said: “We were told to shelter in place right now, we need to stay in a hotel, it was safer here, but it’s not safe to go to the airport.

“The road is closed because of the cartel. There are no flights from the airport to the States. We have postponed tomorrow afternoon, hopefully we will get home.

“Just going to pray and we will return home tomorrow. This has never happened here, the hotel staff have been saying this has never happened before.”

He added: “So we’re going to try to make the most of it, I think it’s time to take off our suitcases and put on our swimsuits.”

Daniel Smith, from the Palm Springs area, shared horrifying photos of the chaos. He was seen walking down the stairs as alarms went off and the Mexican woman ordered him outside.

He said in the video clip: “We’re getting out of this building, the propane tanks exploded. I hope the building doesn’t catch fire.”

His brother Richard posted other videos from Daniel showing the bus in flames and other burning vehicles blocking the streets of Puerto Vallarta.

He said: “Please keep good thoughts for my brother Daniel, Puerto Vallarta is under siege, he is stuck in the city and all the exit roads are closed, he can’t get home.”

“Luckily, he has friends in the city center where he can hang out. Even though he’s been taken out just once. The drug company is gone.”

James Stephens of San Diego, was also involved. He posted gruesome photos of the Costco store on fire and revealed that the entire city was on lockdown.

He said: “We’re still stuck in Puerto Vallarta as the van is trying to take over the city. The whole city is locked down. You can’t get out. Are you crazy? We’re safe.”

Puerto Vallarta is one of California’s top tourist destinations, with more than three million international tourists flying into the city each year – a large number from the Golden State.

The US State Department on Sunday urged Americans to take refuge in the city, while reports from the west of the country say that more violence is breaking out in other Mexican states.

Local media have suggested that Baja California, Guanajuato, Michoacán, Guerrero, Nayarit and Colima are also facing dangerous cartel-related activity.

As panic spread across the region, reports emerged of gunfire at Guadalajara airport – with one video posted online showing what appeared to be passengers fleeing the shelter.

The Mexican military released drug kingpin Oseguera Cervantes, 53, on Sunday morning in the town of Tapalpa in Jalisco.

It soon sparked a violent uprising by gangs, with their anger vented on the paradise beaches of Puerto Vallarta.

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Oseguera Cervantes lived illegally in California in the 1990s and spent three years in a US prison for conspiracy to distribute heroin. He was later deported to Mexico.

The Golden State is a major conduit for drugs such as fentanyl, heroin and methamphetamine that flow into the country from carts.

The governor of Jalisco, Pablo Lemus Navarro, said: “Soldiers have been active in Tapalpa for the past few hours, which has led to conflicts in the area.

“And because of what was said in various areas of that region and other parts of Jalisco, people burned and blocked cars with the aim of preventing the actions of the authorities.”

Navarro added that much of Jalisco was in “code red”. “We repeat the recommendations to avoid leaving your homes,” said Navarro. “Conflicts occur at many levels of government.”

Mexican officials say cartel gangs have started fires across Jalisco to stop the military from attacking, Spanish newspaper El Universal reported.

The statement said: “It is important to clarify that no incidents have been reported inside the facilities, and there is no risk to passengers, staff or visitors.

“The information and things that are distributed on social media do not correspond to any danger at airports, rather they insult passengers.”

The disaster also saw merchants close their shops in Jalisco, Tamaulipas, Michoacan and Guanajuato, as black smoke rose from burning bars across the region.

Jalisco government officials said schools will be closed on Monday and that all major public events will be closed until the violence ends.

Authorities have asked to support government forces to fight the violence, according to reports.

Oseguera Cervantes, a sixth-grade dropout and former police officer, became one of Mexico’s most feared corporate executives following the arrest and conviction of Joaquin “El Chapo” Guzman by US authorities.

President Trump last year declared the cartel an international terrorist organization and pressured Mexico to dismantle it, while the US had 15 million dollars in Oseguera Cervantes.

He has been indicted numerous times in Washington, DC, since 2017, most recently in April 2022, when he was charged with conspiracy to distribute controlled substances for illegal importation into the US.