Mexico's tourist hotspots in chaos; US, India issue advisories: Who is El Mencho?

The US State Department, Canada, the Embassy of India and more have issued safety advisories and warnings in the background of the killing of Mexico's most wanted drug lord El Mencho in a US-backed operation in Jalisco on Sunday. The Indian Embassy has asked nationals residing in Mexico to stay indoors and exercise caution as violence escalates in the country. Many countries have also issued travel warnings for Mexico's popular coastal tourist destination, Puerto Vallarta, known for its beautiful beaches and watersports hubs. This is following massive violence unleashed by El Mencho's cartel in the region, after his death. His supporters have blocked roads, set vehicles on fire, and reportedly even killed people, though the numbers are not out yet.

Who is El Mencho?
The drug lord Nemesio Oseguera Cervantes, popularly known as El Mencho, was the leader of the cartel named Jalisco New Generation. The 60-year-old man was a former police officer. There was a USD 15 million bounty on his head. The Mexican security forces killed him with the help of US intelligence to locate him in Tapalpa. The operation to capture El Mencho was launched last month.

Indian embassy's warning
The Indian Embassy in Mexico posted on X, "Dear all Indian nationals in Mexico, there are ongoing security operations and related road blockages and criminal activity. Indian nationals in Jalisco State (areas of Puerto Vallarta, Chapala, and Guadalajara), Tamaulipas State (areas of Reynosa and other municipalities), areas of Michoacan State, Guerrero State, and Nuevo Leon State should shelter in place until further notice."

The Embassy has also asked people to take the following actions:
1) Minimise unnecessary movements outside the shelter
2) Stay away from areas around law enforcement activity
3) Monitor local media for updates
4) Follow the instructions of the local authorities
5) Call 911 in cases of emergency
6) Inform family, friends in your location aware of your whereabouts via phone, text and social media
7) Contact the Indian Embassy at +52 55 4847 7539 for assistance

Affected tourist spots
1) Peurto Vallarta
2) Guadaljara
3) Chapala
'El Mencho' has more than 20K search volume on Google Trends in the past 9 hours.