Americans stranded in Mexico witnessed firsthand the devastating scenes of a picturesque resort town turned over by violence and destruction following the death of the notorious Jalisco New Generation Cartel’s top boss El Mencho.
The US tourists described driving past burned-out buses and looted shops while escaping the popular vacation destination, Puerto Vallarta, in the war-ravaged region.
Chilling photos shared with The Post show buses reduced to charred hulks, their gutted metal frames strewn across the streets, as convenience stores – including OXXO, Latin America’s largest chain – were left in ruins amid widespread violence that erupted Sunday.
Colorado native Scott Posilkin witnessed the destruction while fleeing to the airport Tuesday morning.
“The ride in was quiet, but we saw quite a bit of damage,” the marketing tech described.
“We are at the gate to try and get home and the airport is crowded but orderly. The locals went above and beyond to help us.”
Tourists in the Pacific Beach getaway in Jalisco – the cartel’s stronghold – were warned Sunday to stay indoors as narco gangs rampaged the streets after drug kingpin Nemesio “El Mencho” Oseguera Cervantes, the powerful boss of the violent crime outfit, was killed in a military raid.
His death prompted cartel henchmen to wreak havoc across the streets, blocking highways, igniting vehicles, torching businesses, and marching with guns in a brazen act of revenge.
“It looked like the whole city was on fire,” Posilkin told The Post when the chaos erupted.
“There were explosions. There was tons of smoke.”
The US State Department urged Americans to shelter in place amid the wave of retaliation, which has left at least 73 dead, including 25 members of the National Guard who were killed in six separate attacks.
The violent unrest led to major American and Canadian airlines canceling flights in and out of the Puerto Vallarta and Guadalajara airports, though some flights started to resume on Tuesday.
Some 10,000 Mexican soldiers have also been deployed throughout the country in response.
The Jalisco New Generation Cartel, which began operating in 2009, is one of the most powerful and fastest-growing criminal organizations in Mexico.
Before his death, the US State Department had offered a reward of up to $15 million for information leading to the arrest of El Mencho.
