US urges citizens in Mexico to seek shelter due to outbreak of violence after cartel leader's elimination
Kyiv • UNN
The US State Department has urged its citizens in Mexico to remain in shelters due to the escalating situation following the elimination of a drug cartel leader. Militants are setting cars on fire and blocking roads, and shootouts are occurring.
The U.S. Department of State has issued an emergency warning for American citizens in northern Mexico, urging them to remain indoors and avoid moving through the streets. The situation in the border regions has sharply escalated after a successful operation by Mexican security forces, during which one of the key leaders of an influential drug cartel was killed. Bloomberg reports this, writes UNN.
Details
Immediately after the confirmation of the group leader's death, cartel militants began mass intimidation actions, setting fire to cars and blocking major transport arteries in the states of Tamaulipas and Nuevo León.
Numerous shootouts between gangs and national guard units have been recorded in cities, leading to the de facto paralysis of civilian life. Local authorities have closed schools and government institutions, and airlines have begun massively canceling flights to border airports due to the risk of shelling.
Diplomatic reaction and border security measures
Washington has temporarily restricted the operation of its consular offices in dangerous areas, transferring personnel to remote work. American special services are coordinating actions with their Mexican counterparts to prevent the transfer of violence to U.S. territory, intensifying patrols of border areas.
Despite the Mexican government's statements about controlling the situation, the security situation remains unstable, as the cartel tries to demonstrate strength and avenge the death of its leader.