US Embassy Issues Security Alert for Americans in Mexico

Americans are advised to be extra vigilant after the recent drug lord killing in the country.

The burned wreckage of a truck, used as a barricade by cartel members in retaliation to the killing of notorious cartel leader “El Mencho” by Mexican forces, lies in Guadalajara, Mexico, on Feb. 22, 2026. Michelle Freyria/Reuters

U.S. citizens in Mexico have been asked to “shelter in place” due to ongoing security operations in the country, and related road blockages and criminal activity, according to a Feb. 22 security alert from the U.S. Embassy and Consulates in Mexico.

The alert was issued following the killing of Nemesio Ruben Oseguera Cervantes, known as “El Mencho,” the notorious leader of the Jalisco New Generation Cartel (CJNG), on Feb. 22 during a Mexican government operation. CJNG, which began operations in 2009, is one of the most powerful and fastest-growing criminal organizations in Mexico.