Over the weekend, more than 1,000 tourists found themselves stranded at the Guadalajara City Zoo in Jalisco due to a surge of violence attributed to the Cartel Jalisco New Generation (CJNG) following the death of their leader, Nemesio “El Mencho” Oseguera Cervantes, according to local news reports.
Mexican authorities confirmed on Sunday that Oseguera-Cervantes had died amid a law enforcement operation. He had been a target of U.S. authorities for years due to various drug trafficking charges. Reports indicate that Mexican troops underwent specialized training from U.S. Navy SEALs shortly before this operation.
CJNG, labeled as a Foreign Terrorist Organization (FTO) and Specially Designated Global Terrorists (SDGT), reportedly executed a series of attacks across at least 18 Mexican states after their leader’s death. This violence resulted in the deaths of 25 members of the Mexican National Guard, a prison guard, and a civilian, based on government information.
According to the Mexican newspaper El Financiero, the zoo became a refuge for 1,080 tourists who were unable to leave due to the violent incidents. These visitors had arrived from surrounding states on Sunday morning, just before the chaos ensued. The CJNG set up “drug blockades” throughout the city, leaving these tourists under the protection of law enforcement within the zoo.
The zoo’s director, Luis Soto, mentioned, “There are people of all ages here, from babies to the elderly, and they’re mainly from the neighboring states of Colima, Guanajuato, Nayarit, Zacatecas, Aguascalientes, and Michoacán. They usually come to the zoo on weekends.” He also said the zoo had been ordered to shut down and refrain from hosting large gatherings, but they opted to allow visitors to remain since they were already inside when the directive was issued. It felt safer to keep everyone there rather than risk a chaotic evacuation.
As per El Financiero, tourists found themselves in 21 buses, four private cars, and five vans parked at the zoo, with assistance from the Red Cross and local authorities providing blankets, water, and other supplies.
The Guadalajara government reported that on Monday, they distributed food and essential items like diapers and milk to those who had spent the night at the zoo.
By around 8:30 a.m. on Monday, some visitors started their journey home. State police organized a caravan to safely guide approximately 500 remaining individuals back to their cities, with Soto noting that while there was some apprehension, it was managed without any serious incidents.
The next day, state officials announced efforts to restore normalcy in Jalisco and prioritize the resumption of services, including operations at the Guadalajara International Airport. Governor Pablo Lemus Navarro mentioned in a video that educational institutions would resume classes on Wednesday, with an agreement reached to restart economic activities promptly.
He reassured the public that there were no new incidents and that efforts were underway to clear the roads and restore services in Puerto Vallarta and beyond. He emphasized the importance of returning things to normal as soon as possible.
Meanwhile, Mexico’s Foreign Minister stated that no foreign nationals were harmed during the violence and assured that they were ready to assist if needed.
