New concerns surfaced on Monday for Chicago-area travelers heading to parts of Mexico after cartel-related violence in Puerto Vallarta and Guadalajara triggered burning vehicles, road blockades, airport chaos and flight disruptions.
The unrest follows a major military operation in which Mexican authorities said they killed one of the country’s most powerful drug cartel leaders, setting off retaliatory violence across parts of Jalisco state.
For some travelers, the violence has become a firsthand experience.
Chicagoan describes carjacking, gunfire in Puerto Vallarta
Yoni Pizer of Chicago said he and his husband were carjacked at gunpoint in Puerto Vallarta as cartel members blocked major roads with burning vehicles.
“Being, you know, carjacked at gunpoint, and then having a rental car exploded, bombed in front of us, and then chased through gunfire,” Pizer said.
Pizer described what he called a coordinated and targeted operation in which buses and trucks were commandeered and set on fire to shut down key streets.
He said that while the situation was terrifying, he has not seen confirmed reports of fatalities in Puerto Vallarta itself.
Friends traveling with him have struggled to find transportation to the airport, with ride shares and taxis largely unavailable amid road blockades.
Brookfield woman stranded after flight canceled
Jennifer Keltner, who lives in Brookfield, said she has been stranded in Puerto Vallarta after her flight home was canceled.
“Supposed to go home today. Flight was canceled… now they’re telling me the earliest I can get home is March 2,” Keltner said.
Keltner said she has been in Puerto Vallarta since Feb. 3 and witnessed violence near her hotel.
“I watched them hold a gun to someone down the street… then they threw the bombs in the car… There was a tanker truck on fire,” she said.
Despite long lines at grocery stores and what she described as lockdown conditions, Keltner said she feels safe at her hotel and does not believe tourists are being directly targeted.
Still, she said she is frustrated by the airline delays and uncertainty about when she can return home.
Former Chicago journalist describes airport panic in Guadalajara
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In Guadalajara, former Telemundo Chicago journalist and independent reporter Benjamin Zamora said he and his wife encountered burning vehicles and armed men while heading to the airport.
“We realized that there was something wrong when armed, heavily armed men were trying to reach several of the cars there, including ours,” he said.
Zamora described widespread shutdowns across the city, including suspended transportation services.
“It was a scary situation… it was not only affecting one part of the city, it was pretty much the whole city was kind of shut down,” he said.
Inside Guadalajara International Airport, Zamora said misinformation about a possible breach triggered panic among travelers.
“People started running. They started taking cover… it became very, very chaotic fast,” he said.
His flight was delayed roughly three hours before departing safely.
Airlines, U.S. State Department respond
Airlines have reported cancellations and disruptions to and from Puerto Vallarta and Guadalajara amid the unrest.
The U.S. State Department is advising Americans in affected areas to shelter in place due to ongoing security operations.
For now, some Chicago-area travelers remain stranded as authorities work to restore order and reopen transportation routes.
Keltner said she is hoping to secure an earlier flight home than the one currently scheduled for early March.
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