Chicago couple says they've received misinformation since being stranded in Mexico during violent unrest
After a notorious cartel leader was killed Sunday in Mexico, it set off a day of violence, leaving American tourists stranded, with many from the Chicago area. Two dozen Mexican troops were also left dead.
Among the stranded is an Andersonville couple stuck in Guadalajara.
The ambassador to Mexico in Chicago said, along with monitoring the ongoing situation in the western part of Mexico, she's also urging people to be aware of false information being spread online, potentially from cartel organizations.
Chaos erupted on Sunday after Mexican special forces killed one of the country's most powerful cartel leaders, known as "El Mencho."
"That's what works, when both countries work together to combat something that is affecting families on both sides of the border," said the Consul General of Mexico in Chicago, Reyna Torres.
She applauded the military operation but warned of misinformation currently circulating, sometimes intentionally spread online by cartels.
"These organizations want to create fear and confusion and chaos," she said. "A lot of nonsense information has been flowing on social media, so please go to the official sources of information."
On Monday, as some tourists sat by the pool, the Mexican Navy arrived in Puerto Vallarta — one of the cities that was violently targeted by the cartel. Buses, cars, and gas stations were all set on fire in response to the killing of the powerful drug boss, whose cocaine, fentanyl, and methamphetamine empire brought in billions.
More than 250 roadblocks were set in several states.
On Sunday, panic broke out at the Guadalajara airport as travelers scrambled for safety.
"We just want to get home. yeah. And like, we're not quite sure what's safe," said Tonya Pierce.
Pierce and her fiancé, Billie Cavallero, from Chicago's Andersonville neighborhood, arrived in Guadalajara for vacation just one day before the unrest.
"What's scary is that, like, you know, the locals are scared. They're not quite sure of what's going on. Everyone we talk to, they're like, this isn't normal, this isn't… we don't know how long it's gonna last," she said.
While some flights are once again taking off, the couple said they aren't sure if it's safe to travel to the airport and can't find clear guidance.
"The information is just so all over the place that we want to make the smartest, safest choice to leave, but we don't know what that is," Cavallero said.
"There's a lot of bogus information flying around, and it's hard to filter when you're in a panic situation, what's real and what's not," Pierce said.
Sunday's operation comes as President Trump increased pressure on the Mexican government to be more aggressive with the cartel. The U.S. embassy is still encouraging Americans in impacted areas to shelter in place.
