Mexico’s navy has deployed 103 marines to Puerto Vallarta following days of cartel-related violence that shuttered the city’s airport, paralyzed the region, and left thousands of Canadian tourists stranded. Canadian airlines resumed flights on Tuesday, Feb. 24, two days after one of the most dramatic security crises in recent Mexican history.
The marines arrived aboard the naval vessel ARM “Usumacinta” (A-412) in response to attacks on businesses and property across several neighborhoods of the Pacific resort city, according to Mexico’s Secretaría de Marina (Navy Secretariat). The deployment came alongside a broader military push by the federal government, which sent an additional 2,000 army troops to Jalisco state.
The crisis began Sunday, Feb. 22, when the Mexican military killed Nemesio Oseguera Cervantes — known as “El Mencho” — the longtime leader of the Jalisco New Generation Cartel (CJNG), regarded as one of the most powerful and violent criminal organizations in the world. Within hours, cartel members responded with coordinated attacks across more than 20 Mexican states. Vehicles were set ablaze, highways were blocked at more than 250 points, and stores were ransacked. In Puerto Vallarta, black smoke billowed over the city’s famous boardwalk.
The Puerto Vallarta International Airport shut down completely. Grupo Aeroportuario del Pacífico (GAP), which operates the facility, confirmed that all international flights and most domestic services were cancelled. Airlines including Air Canada, WestJet, Southwest, United, Delta, Alaska, and Porter all halted operations.
At least 73 people were killed in the unrest, including members of Mexico’s National Guard and cartel operatives. Authorities arrested 25 people, 11 of them for participating in violent acts and 14 for looting. A jail riot at a Puerto Vallarta lockup killed a prison guard.
For Canadian tourists, the situation was particularly disorienting. Global Affairs Canada estimated roughly 5,000 Canadians were in Jalisco state alone, with more than 26,000 registered throughout Mexico. Officials issued shelter-in-place advisories and urged travelers to monitor their airline status and limit movements. Foreign Affairs Minister Anita Anand said her Mexican counterpart expected the situation to “normalize” in the coming days. Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum described the country as “calm.”
By Tuesday morning, things had stabilized enough for airlines to resume service. Air Canada restarted flights from Montreal, Toronto, and Vancouver to Puerto Vallarta, deploying larger Boeing 787-9 Dreamliners with 258 additional seats per flight to help clear the backlog of stranded passengers. Service from Toronto to Guadalajara followed Wednesday. WestJet resumed operations to Puerto Vallarta, Guadalajara, and Manzanillo the same day. Air Transat, Porter, and Flair Airlines also restarted Puerto Vallarta flights, with complimentary change policies for affected passengers.
At Toronto’s Pearson International Airport Tuesday morning, travelers showed a mix of relief and resolve. “We talked to people down there yesterday and everything has calmed down,” said Todd Martin, heading to Puerto Vallarta for vacation. Christine Dusablon, whose flight had been cancelled Monday, was equally unfazed. “There was some unrest, but I figured it would pass,” she said. “It is a great place to go.”
Not everyone was so sanguine. Ontario Premier Doug Ford urged Canadians to reconsider travel to Mexico and said he would work with Ottawa to bring stranded travelers home if needed. The federal government updated its travel advisory to recommend avoiding non-essential travel to parts of Jalisco state, while advising high caution in other tourist zones, including Cancún.
The killing of El Mencho marks the end of a years-long manhunt. He had led CJNG since its founding and built it into a cartel with operations spanning dozens of countries. Security analysts warn that leadership vacuums in major cartels often trigger prolonged internal fighting as factions compete for control.
The violence, while concentrated in Jalisco, sent ripples across the country. Organized crime has been testing boundaries even in quieter corners of Mexico, a trend that security officials have been tracking for months. Puerto Vallarta’s airport remained under federal security force protection throughout the disruption, with no incidents reported inside the terminal. Resorts in the area stayed open throughout, and the situation along tourist corridors returned to normal well before airline service resumed.
Coverage from CBC News has been tracking the unfolding situation with regular updates.
Quick facts
- El Mencho, born Nemesio Oseguera Cervantes, was killed by the Mexican military on Sunday, Feb. 22, 2026, in Jalisco state
- He founded and led the Jalisco New Generation Cartel (CJNG), one of Mexico’s most powerful criminal organizations
- More than 250 road blockades were reported across 20 Mexican states following his death
- At least 73 people were killed in the subsequent violence, including National Guard members
- Puerto Vallarta International Airport suspended all international flights for approximately 48 hours
- An estimated 5,000 Canadians were in Jalisco state; more than 26,000 were registered throughout Mexico
- 103 Mexican marines arrived in Puerto Vallarta aboard the ARM “Usumacinta” (A-412)
- Canada and the U.S. both issued shelter-in-place advisories for parts of Jalisco and neighboring states
- Air Canada, WestJet, Air Transat, Porter, and Flair resumed Puerto Vallarta flights on Feb. 24
- Mexico’s federal government deployed an additional 2,000 army troops to Jalisco