U.S. lifts government personnel restrictions in Mexico after cartel violence

The U.S. Embassy in Mexico said all restrictions placed on U.S. government personnel after the February 22 violence have been lifted and that the embassy and all consulates are operating normally.

In an update issued Wednesday, the embassy said flight schedules have returned to normal and there are no reports of road closures ordered by local authorities. U.S. citizens in Mexico were told to resume standard levels of precaution.

The restrictions were imposed after a major security operation on Sunday in western Mexico. Mexican forces killed Nemesio Oseguera Cervantes, known as El Mencho, the longtime leader of the Jalisco New Generation Cartel, or CJNG, in an operation supported with logistical and intelligence assistance from the Trump administration.

Following his death, cartel members launched coordinated retaliatory attacks across 20 of Mexico’s 32 states, from Tijuana near the U.S. border to Cancun on the Caribbean coast.

Authorities said at least 25 National Guard members were killed, along with 30 suspected CJNG members. Much of the violence was concentrated around Guadalajara and the resort city of Puerto Vallarta in Jalisco, where stores and vehicles were set on fire.

Despite lifting the staff restrictions, a Level 2 travel advisory remains in place for Mexico overall, advising travelers to exercise increased caution. Several Mexican states are under higher advisories, including Level 3 “Reconsider Travel” and Level 4 “Do Not Travel.”

Jalisco, where the recent violence was centered, remains at Level 3. The advisory warns of risks from terrorist groups, cartels, gangs and other criminal organizations.

It notes that battles between criminal groups have occurred in tourist areas of Guadalajara, that innocent bystanders have been injured or killed in shootings, and that U.S. citizens and lawful permanent residents have been kidnapped.