American tourists enjoying a getaway in Puerto Vallarta have taken to social media to express their distress, as they find themselves confined in luxury resorts amidst a surge of cartel violence in the region.

Chilling images and videos emerging from Mexico depict scenes of chaos, with tourists and airport staff scrambling for safety as armed cartel operatives seized control of the airport.

Local reports from Puerto Vallarta detail the unsettling presence of armed individuals on motorcycles, accompanied by the unsettling sound of gunfire. Social media platforms like X and Instagram are now flooded with footage capturing intense exchanges of gunfire between Mexican military forces and cartel members.

In a dramatic turn of events, thick plumes of smoke were seen rising into the sky as cartel members set fire to abandoned vehicles. In response, the U.S. State Department issued a security alert advising American visitors to stay put, avoid large gatherings, and limit their movements.

This outbreak of violence was triggered by the Mexican Army’s killing of Nemesio ‘El Mencho’ Oseguera Cervantes in Tapalpa, located roughly 170 miles southeast of Puerto Vallarta in Jalisco state.

El Mencho was the notorious leader of the Jalisco New Generation Cartel (CJNG), a formidable drug cartel deeply involved in trafficking methamphetamine and fentanyl to the United States.

But as violence gripped the region, influencers took to social media to bemoan how they were stuck in the tourist hotspot.

‘We were supposed to leave this morning, and right as our shuttle came, our shuttle never showed up because they could not leave the airport due to a shutdown, due to cartel retaliation,’ makeup artist and mom influencer Kaila R Gibson shared in a video on Instagram.

‘So I really want to cry, I miss my baby,’ she continued. ‘It’s really scary, honestly. I have no idea how long we’re going to be  here for. And it’s just quite terrifying.’ 

Violence gripped the Mexican state of Jalisco on Sunday following the death of cartel leader Nemesio ‘El Mencho’ Oseguera Cervantes. A burnt-out bus allegedly set on fire by cartel members is pictured on a highway

Smoke billowed at a distance in the popular tourist hotspot

Nemesio ‘El Mencho’ Oseguera Cervantes was killed by Mexican federal forces on Sunday, according to high-ranking officials who spoke with local publications. The chaos across Mexico is thought to be in response to his death

‘So if you could pray, I would super appreciate that – and pray for all the other girls that are also stuck here,’ she told her 275,000 followers.

In a follow-up post, she added that she is also ‘so sad for the families here as well.’

‘I’ve never felt unsafe here because the cartel stays out of the tourist areas,’ she said.

Still, Gibson said she was ‘praying we make it home to our babies soon and the people here are safe.’ 

Meanwhile, on TikTok another makeup artist said she was left stranded following a makeup retreat.

She said she had received a text from the airline that ‘basically there will be no travel through February 26 due to “civil unrest.”‘

In another video, she lamented that she will be ‘here until we’re not here.’ 

As night then descended, the makeup artist told her followers how the resort ‘closed all the restaurants except for the buffet, and they said room service was available, but there was no availability.

‘So I’m rationing deserts, I’m eating my feelings and I’m drinking all night,’ the influencer, with more than 78,300 followers said.

Firefighters extinguish a burning bus set on fire by cartel members

National Guard stood watch on the side of a highway connecting Mexico City with the state of Puebla after alleged cartel members set fire to a bus

Firefighters were seen extinguishing a burning vehicle set on fire on Sunday

She added that even if her flight was able to depart on Monday, she does not know whether she would feel safe.

‘So until then I will eat desert and keep y’all posted.’ 

But others tried to make the best of their misfortune, with Tarik Hagen filming himself dancing in his room.

‘Currently trapped in Puerto Vallarta because the cartel has shut down the city,’ he wrote in text overlayed on the video, which he captioned: ‘Can’t leave our hotel and the airport is closed.’ 

Mexican National Guard agents have since secured the airport in Puerto Vallarta, Grupo Aeroportuario del Pacífico, which runs the Puerto Vallarta airport, said Sunday night.

‘However, by decision of the airlines, today … all international operations and most domestic flights are cancelled,’ it added.

Burnt-down cars littered the highways in Jalisco following the raid to kill El Mencho

Smoke was seen billowing from burning vehicles in the tourist hotspot

Videos taken by travelers at Guadalajara International Airport in Jalisco show smoke rising from the runways

The news came as La Jornada, one of Mexico City’s largest newspapers, reported that a total of 26 people were killed in the chaos on Sunday.

Most of the fatalities occurred within federal and state security forces, which saw 17 agents killed on Sunday.

Eight alleged members of the Jalisco New Generation Cartel were also reportedly killed. 

Twenty-five people have also been arrested in Jalisco, state officials announced Sunday night.

Eleven were arrested for alleged participation in violent acts and 14 others were arrested for alleged acts of looting or pillaging.

Still, US Senator Gary Peters urged tourists on social media to sign up for the Smart Traveler Enrollment Program, which allows the State Department to contact Americans in case of an emergency.