Feb 23, 2026
3 min read
The Spanish Embassy in Mexico and the Consulates General in Guadalajara, Mexico City and Monterrey have advised Spanish citizens in the country to stay...
The embassies of several countries, including Spain, and other organizations are advising citizens in Mexico to stay home today against a general wave of violence that erupted yesterday in at least half of the country after the army killed Nemesio Oseguera Cervantes, the powerful leader of the new generation cartel in Jalisco.
The Spanish embassy in Mexico and the consulates general in Guadalajara, Mexico City and Monterrey advised Spanish nationals to stay at home or in safe places due to the outbreak of violence following the death of Nemesio Oseguera Cervantes in clashes with security forces.
The governments of other countries, such as the United States, Canada, Russia or Ecuador, have also already issued security alerts for their citizens in Mexico, who have been told to flee, limit their movements and follow the instructions of local authorities.
"I invite all Spanish citizens who are currently passing through Mexico either for tourist or professional reasons," especially in the Guadalajara region, "and those who are not recorded in our consular registration record, to contact the consulate," Foreign Minister José Manuel Albares said today in Brussels.
Albares admitted that "there are some groups of Spanish citizens who have problems around airports, transportation or around some hotels, but we are contacting them and trying to solve their situation as soon as possible".
Foreign sources have indicated that in Mexico there are 225,447 Spanish residents and 321 foreigners, of which 13,026 residents are registered in Guadalajara, Jalisco, and 40 foreigners.However, the sources clarify that the numbers may vary because some of these people may have left the country without informing them, while others may have been in Mexico without registering with the consular office.
Mexico is trying to return to normal little by little after the escalation of violence that began yesterday in at least 16 of the country's 32 states, after Nemesio Oseguera Cervantes, alias El Mencho, leader of the Jalisco New Generation Cartel (CJNG), died in a military operation, in an operation with American intelligence, to counter the growing pressure of narcotics in Washington.
The drug trafficker's death in a shootout in his home state of Jalisco as the Mexican military tried to capture him was a victory for authorities and a serious blow to organized crime in Mexico.The death of the world's biggest fentanyl trafficker is expected to ease pressure on the US government to crack down on drug cartels.
US President Donald Trump has demanded that Mexico have more resources to combat fentanyl smuggling and has threatened to impose more tariffs or unilateral military action if the country does not show results.
Members of the Jalisco cartel responded with violence across the country, blocking roads and setting fire to vehicles.After the news broke yesterday, shootings, stabbings and fires broke out at the Guadalajara airport, with further sources of intense tension in Jalisco, Michoacán, Oaxaca, Nayarit, Colima, Zacatecas, Aguascalientes and Guanajuato.Guadalajara, the capital of Jalisco state and Mexico's second city, was almost completely shut down yesterday.
The country's president, Claudia Sheenbaum, called for calm and authorities announced last night that they had already cleared more than 250 closed roads and highways in a total of 20 Mexican states.
Several Mexican states have canceled classes today, and the Spanish embassy and other local and foreign organizations are warning citizens to stay home.
Emergency numbers
The Embassy of Spain recalls the emergency numbers of the Consulate General in Guadalajara (+52 3331164272).Consulate General in CDMX (+52 55 42 46 81 36);and the Consulate General in Monterrey (+52 81 1266 5364).Calling 911 in an emergency is also emphasized.
The Consulate General in Guadalajara is closed today and there will be no public services.As an additional security measure, the embassy is asking people to avoid crossing the border between Mexico and the United States via the Reynosa, Tamaulipas, and Tijuana, Baja California border crossings.
Fentanyl dealer
Nemesio Rubén Oseguera Cervantes, known as "El Mencho," operates one of the fastest growing criminal networks in Mexico, known for trafficking fentanyl, methamphetamine and cocaine to the United States, and for attacks on government officials who oppose him, the Associated Press (AP) reports.
The US ambassador, Ron Johnson, acknowledged the success of the Mexican armed forces and their sacrifices in a statement late Sunday.He added that "under the leadership of President Trump and President Sheinbaum, bilateral cooperation has reached an unprecedented level."But, according to Mora, it could also pave the way for more violence, as rival criminal groups take advantage of the aborted coup against the CJNG.
"This could be a moment when other groups see the cartel weakening and want to take the opportunity to expand their control in these states and take control of the Jalisco cartel," the AP said in a statement.
"Since President Sheinbaum has been in power, the military has been fighting more, fighting criminals in Mexico," Mora said.
Through White House press secretary Carolyn Levitt, the US government provided intelligence support to the operation and praised the work of the Mexican military.
The US State Department has offered a reward of up to $15 million for information leading to El Mencho's arrest.The Jalisco Nueva Generación cartel is one of the most powerful and fastest-growing criminal organizations in Mexico and began operating in 2009. The US designated the cartel as a foreign terrorist organization last February.
The Jalisco cartel has carried out one of the most aggressive attacks against the military, including helicopter attacks, and is a pioneer in launching explosives and planting mines from drones. In 2020, he launched a spectacular attack with grenades and high-powered rifles in the center of Mexico City against the then head of the capital's police and now the federal defense secretary.
