Stranded Americans recount gunfire, explosions after killing of Mexican cartel leader

• Stranded Americans witnessed fire and explosions after the killing of cartel leader 'El Mencho.'
• Violence erupted following the confirmation of Nemesio Oseguera Cervantes' death by the Mexican Defense Ministry during a military operation.
• The U.S. Embassy is no longer urging Americans to shelter in place as public transportation resumes normal operations.

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American tourists and Mexican residents said that they witnessed gunfire and explosions following the killing of Mexican cartel leader Nemesio “El Mencho” Oseguera Cervantes, a situation that left many vacationers stranded and unable to escape the unrest.

The wave of violence began after the Mexican Defense Ministry confirmed Oseguera Cervantes’ death on Sunday. Oseguera was the founder and leader of the Jalisco New Generation cartel and was killed in a U.S. intelligence-aided Mexican military operation. 

Over 70 people are believed to have died in the attempt to capture Oseguera Cervantes, and in the aftermath, authorities said. The body count includes security forces, suspected cartel members and others.

Megan Phelps, a Southern California native, told City News Service she witnessed five or six fires along the Pacific coastline. Meanwhile, San Diego resident Leslie Devaney, who was on vacation with her daughter in Puerto Vallarta, told KUSI that they were among several tourists whose flight was canceled as violence broke out. From their condo complex, the pair could see the chaos unfolding right outside. 

“I see a man dressed in black, with black headgear and a black mask. I see a container with yellow liquid, and he was throwing it into a car, so I’m thinking no one is putting out a fire, this is a terrorist type of event,” Devaney recalled. “I’m not a dramatic person, but I thought this could be the way I go.”

The mother said she could see black plumes of smoke from across the city and charred vehicles left in the middle of the road. While Devaney’s flight was supposed to leave on Monday, it has been rebooked for Thursday.

“My gut says let this die down; it will, it’s a show of power. I have another plane on Thursday, I prefer to hunker down,” the San Diego resident stated.

On Tuesday, the U.S. Embassy & Consulates in Mexico announced that U.S. citizens are no longer urged to shelter in place as public transportation and businesses resume normal operations. 

The embassy issued a statement on Sunday advising U.S. citizens to “shelter in place until further notice” if they were at any of the following locations: Jalisco State (including Puerto Vallarta, Chapala, and Guadalajara), Tamaulipas State (including Reynosa and other municipalities), areas of Michoacan State, Guerrero State, and Nuevo Leon State.

Another individual affected by the violence, American Yoni Pizer, who lives in Puerto Vallarta, told CNN that a gunman attacked him on Sunday. Pizer was on his way to whale watching with a group of people when the car he was driving came upon a white truck stopped at an intersection. 

“A young man came running with a gun pointed at our windshield to us, screaming in Spanish: Get out of the car! Get out of the car!” Pizer said.

Pizer and his group obeyed, and once they had exited the vehicle, the gunman entered the driver’s side and drove it to the intersection. The gunman then “threw an incendiary device or some sort of bomb in the car, which immediately exploded in flames,” according to Pizer. 

“And then two seconds later, the truck was also on fire,” he added. 

After the group ran away, Pizer said that they could hear the sound of explosions and gunfire. 

“Then they just started grabbing people as more traffic started coming toward the intersection,” he recalled. “Some people were able to squeal and make U-turns and head away. Others were caught and were dragged out of their cars. And there were cars that were moved also to block the road.”