American Tourist Caught in Deadly Cartel Violence in Puerto Vallarta

Yoni Pizer describes harrowing experience as cartel members retaliated against the killing of their leader

Published on Feb. 25, 2026

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An American tourist named Yoni Pizer from Chicago recounted the terrifying violence he and his group experienced in Puerto Vallarta, Mexico, on February 22, 2026, after the Mexican government killed the leader of the Jalisco New Generation Cartel, Nemesio Oseguera Cervantes, also known as 'El Mencho'. Pizer said he and his husband, along with two friends, were driving to a whale-watching expedition when they encountered armed cartel members stopping cars and pulling people out. Pizer's car was taken and set on fire, and he and his group had to flee for their lives as they heard gunshots and saw vehicles being torched across the city.

Why it matters

The violent cartel retaliation following the killing of El Mencho, one of Mexico's most notorious drug lords, highlights the ongoing challenges the country faces in combating organized crime and the potential impact on the vital tourism industry in popular destinations like Puerto Vallarta.

The details

Pizer said the armed cartel members banged on his car window, pointed a gun at his head, and ordered him and his group to get out of the vehicle. The cartel member then drove the car into an intersection and set it on fire with an incendiary device. Pizer and his group fled on foot as they heard gunshots and saw numerous other vehicles being torched across the city. At one point, Pizer was separated from his husband and one of their friends, who ended up sheltering in a church orphanage for over eight hours.

  • The incident occurred around 8:30 a.m. local time on Sunday, February 22, 2026.
  • El Mencho was killed earlier that day in a firefight with Mexican security forces.

The players

Yoni Pizer

An American tourist from Chicago who was caught in the cartel violence in Puerto Vallarta.

Nemesio Oseguera Cervantes

Also known as 'El Mencho', he was the leader of the Jalisco New Generation Cartel and one of the most wanted criminals in Mexico and the United States.

Ricardo Trevilla Trejo

Mexico's Secretary of National Defense, who provided details on the operation that killed El Mencho.

Claudia Sheinbaum

The President of Mexico, who stated there is a 'greater calm' in the country as authorities work to quell the violence.

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What they’re saying

“We suddenly noticed a man running at us with a gun in his hand and one of my friends who was in the backseat shouted, 'He's got a gun! He's got a gun!'”

— Yoni Pizer (ABC News)

“Their goal was clearly to block all main roads in Puerto Vallarta. And, clearly, it wasn't to kill people, because they easily could have killed all of us.”

— Yoni Pizer (ABC News)

What’s next

The U.S. State Department is advising American tourists to continue sheltering in place until tensions subside in Puerto Vallarta.

The takeaway

The violent cartel retaliation following the killing of a notorious drug lord in Mexico highlights the ongoing challenges the country faces in combating organized crime and the potential impact on the vital tourism industry in popular destinations like Puerto Vallarta.