As airlines canceled flights and authorities issued shelter-in-place orders, stranded visitors reported cars torched, suspected cartel members blocking major roads and shops looted by looters – scenes that some witnesses said made parts of the popular resort feel like “a war breaking out in the streets.”
Witnesses said they were forced to evacuate their rooms, survive on limited hotel food and even go outside in search of meals as they waited for Mexican authorities to regain control of the city.
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“I looked down and they were completely engulfed in flames,” Marchenko said. “There were a total of six cars on fire and one fuel tanker.”
He said he watched a neighbor’s video of men he believed to be cartel members forcing people out of their cars, then pouring gasoline on them and setting the cars on fire.
“They told people to leave,” Marchenko said. “Then they took the gas and poured the gas on the vehicle and waited until everyone was safe before they set it on fire.”
Later in the afternoon, Marchenko ventured out in search of food and said he had completely burned down pharmacies and convenience stores, adding that younger crowds had broken into nearby buildings to loot beer and cigarettes.
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Public transport and Ubers had come to a complete standstill, Marchenko added, saying that even if flights resumed, he was unsure how they would reach the airport.
Despite the chaos, Marchenko noted that no one seemed to panic.
“There’s absolutely no panic from almost anyone here,” he said. “I think it’s interesting, almost everyone was just more annoyed than anything.”
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Belli said the sudden outbreak of violence was particularly shocking, noting that she had spoken to American tourists who stayed at her Marriott resort who insisted the area was extremely safe after visiting Puerto Vallarta for 24 years.
She added that guests who had gone to the airport were locked down and were making do with the limited food available.
“Many other tourists who had an early morning flight were actually able to get to the airport, but they are now locked in the airport and cannot leave,” she said. “So what we heard from other guests is that they’re just surviving on granola bars.”
He added that this was the first trip he and his wife were away from their four-year-old son, and he had to call home to tell relatives where to find their wills.
“This is the first time we’ve been away from him. My wife said, ‘We’re never leaving him again,'” he said. “I had to call my mom today and, you know, tell her, ‘Look, here’s my will. We just made this. I don’t want you to panic, but you might have to stay with my son for a few extra days.'”
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He added that although the area resembles a war zone, he remains optimistic that authorities will restore order in the coming days.
Mexico’s Defense Ministry said Sunday that Oseguera was killed in a military operation. The news reportedly caused widespread unrest and uncertainty in multiple states as Mexican authorities worked to stabilize the region.
