CORPUS CHRISTI, Texas — Reported roadblocks and burning buses followed news of the cartel leader's killing, leaving residents and those with family ties to the Coastal Bend region on edge.
Burning buses, vehicles and plumes of black smoke filled parts of Jalisco, Mexico, following the reported death of Nemesio Oseguera Cervantes — known as El Mencho — the leader of the Jalisco New Generation Cartel.
Kimberli Powers, a former Port Aransas resident who moved to Puerto Vallarta, Jalisco, five years ago, described what she witnessed.
"About 9:30 we started seeing this big plums of black smoke," Powers said.
"The Cartel were pulling the buses over, they were having over the bus, they were pouring gasoline in them and lighting them on fire," Powers said.
Despite the chaos that unfolded on Sunday, Powers said things had calmed by Monday morning and she has felt safe while sheltering in place.
"We all felt safe, we weren't in fear that the cartel was going to come to our door and start taking us out one by one," Powers said about her Sunday and Monday experience.
Powers, who has embraced her adopted home, described her connection to the community.
"We love the people in Puerto Vallarta, the culture.. everything is just so loving," Powers said.
For Abel Vazquez, a business co-owner at Taqueria Jalisco on Cimarron who is originally from Jalisco, the unrest hit closer to home.
"It got us worried because we have a lot of family in Mexico," Vazquez said.
Both Powers and Vazquez say the death of El Mencho was expected. Now, they are hoping for a better future — especially for those who call Mexico home.
"Hopefully we have a peace of mind and everything gets a little more secure," Vazquez said.
Travel alerts have been issued for parts of Jalisco as the region navigates the fallout. Everyone is watching, hoping the volatility proves to be short-lived.
This story was reported on-air by a journalist and has been converted to this platform with the assistance of AI. Our editorial team verifies all reporting on all platforms for fairness and accuracy.
For the latest local news updates, click here, or download the KRIS 6 News App.
Catch all the KRIS 6 News stories and more on our YouTube page. Subscribe today!
