🔴 Website 👉 https://u-s-news.com/
Telegram 👉 https://t.me/usnewscom_channel
OAN Staff Katherine Mosack
6:36 PM – Wednesday, February 25, 2026
The White House has issued a stern warning to Mexican drug cartels to “not lay a finger” on U.S. citizens, as hundreds of Americans reportedly find themselves stranded amid a surge of violence across Mexico.
The unrest follows the death of Nemesio “El Mencho” Oseguera Cervantes, the leader of the Jalisco New Generation Cartel (CJNG). He was killed on Sunday during a Mexican military operation conducted in coordination with U.S. intelligence.
In response to the retaliatory violence triggered by El Mencho’s death, the United States has urged tourists and government personnel in affected regions to shelter in place until the security situation stabilizes.
“We encourage all Americans in Mexico to of course adhere to the guidance provided by the State Department. Right now, we are unaware of any reports of any Americans being hurt, kidnapped, or killed,” White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt told Fox & Friends on Tuesday.
“And the Mexican drug cartels know not to lay a finger on a single American or they will pay severe consequences under this president,” she added. “And they already are. This operation, which was carried out successfully by Mexican authorities, was of course supported by the United States, would not have happened without the leadership of President Trump.”
The U.S. Embassy in Mexico issued a security alert on Monday listing particularly dangerous locations where Americans should exercise caution. The list included:
- Jalisco State (including Puerto Vallarta, Chapala, and Guadalajara)
- Baja California State (including Tijuana, Tecate, and Ensenada)
- Nayarit State (including the Nuevo Nayarit/Nuevo Vallarta area near Puerta Vallarta)
- areas of Colima, Guanajuato, Guerrero, Estado de Mexico, Michoacan, Nuevo Leon, Oaxaca, Puebla, Queretaro, San Luis Potosi, Veracruz, and Zacatecas states
Quintana Roo State, including Cancun, Cozumel, Playa del Carmen, and Tulum, Sinaloa, and Tamaulipas had returned to normal after “incidents” on Sunday, according to the embassy.
“Due to ongoing security operations and related road blockages and criminal activity, U.S. citizens in specific locations in Mexico are urged to shelter in place,” the embassy said, adding that U.S. government staff were already sheltering in several areas until all blockades are cleared.
The U.S. State Department has established 24-hour emergency hotlines to assist citizens trapped in high-risk zones, where cartel members have paralyzed transit by erecting road blockades and torching vehicles.
These retaliatory attacks follow the successful operation against the leader of the CJNG — a syndicate that rose to dominance in the power vacuum left by the fall of Joaquín “El Chapo” Guzmán.
“[The president] has made it a day one priority to target and go after these vicious drug cartels that have shipped deadly poison to our country for far too long,” Leavitt added.
Stay informed! Receive breaking news alerts directly to your inbox for free. Subscribe here. https://www.oann.com/alerts
What do YOU think? Click here to jump to the comments!
Sponsored Content Below