Mexico says Jalisco security situation ‘stabilized,’ flights resuming after Americans stranded
The Mexican government said the security situation in the western state of Jalisco has “stabilized” after an explosion of cartel-linked violence following the death of kingpin Nemesio Rubén Oseguera Cervantes, known as “El Mencho.”
The Embassy of Mexico in the United States said federal and state authorities were working to normalize conditions after the unrest, reopening transit corridors and restoring public services following targeted operations.
The update comes as the State Department’s travel advisory for Mexico remains in effect at a heightened level of caution, while flight cancellations and transportation disruptions stranded some travelers in popular destinations such as Puerto Vallarta and Guadalajara. Hundreds of Americans remain stranded in Mexico following the violence.
“The security situation has now stabilized following targeted operations in Jalisco,” the embassy said in a post on X. “Federal and state authorities are proceeding to reopen transit corridors and restore public services smoothly.”
The embassy said airline operations were returning to normal and that international carriers were resuming flights. Puerto Vallarta International Airport has reopened to domestic traffic, according to the statement.
“If traveling through Jalisco, some local security measures remain in place, while authorities are restoring airport operations to full capacity,” the embassy added.
Officials said they were coordinating with international partners “to ensure safety and stability at all transit hubs and tourist destinations.”
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The statement described the operation as part of “a broader national effort that has produced a sustained decrease in violence across Mexico in recent months.”
According to the State Department’s official website, Mexico is currently under a Level 2 “Exercise Increased Caution” travel advisory due to risks including crime and kidnapping. The advisory notes that violent crime and organized criminal activity remain concerns for U.S. citizens traveling in the country.
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Certain Mexican states carry higher risk levels, with some areas classified as Level 3 “Reconsider Travel” or Level 4 “Do Not Travel,” depending on local conditions. Jalisco — where the recent violence occurred — has previously been listed among states with elevated advisory levels, though the State Department notes that risk can vary by region.
The advisory urges U.S. citizens to take precautions similar to those required of U.S. government employees, including avoiding intercity travel at night, using regulated transportation services and remaining aware that emergency services may be limited in some areas.
The State Department said it had received hundreds of calls on its 24/7 crisis hotline as Americans sought assistance following the violence.
Mexican authorities said Oseguera Cervantes was killed Sunday during an operation aided by U.S. intelligence.
The cartel responded by setting vehicles on fire and erecting roadblocks throughout Guadalajara, the state capital. The city’s international airport operated at limited capacity as violence gripped the area.
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The U.S. State Department had previously offered up to $15 million for information leading to his arrest or conviction, describing him as “one of the most wanted fugitives in Mexico.”
Louvre Museum director resigns following $102M theft of crown jewels
The director of the Louvre Museum in Paris has stepped down, months after thieves stole $102 million in crown jewels in a lightning-fast weekend robbery.
Laurence des Cars presented French President Emmanuel Macron with her resignation, which Macron accepted, according to a statement from the presidential office.
It said Macron praised her decision as “an act of responsibility at a time when the world’s largest museum needs calm and a strong new impetus to carry out major projects involving security upgrades, modernization” and other projects.
Macron thanked des Cars for “her work and commitment,” and said he wanted to give her a new mission focused on cooperation among major museums, the statement said, without saying if she had accepted.
Des Cars has remained under fire in the wake of the heist, which many critics have labeled a stunning embarrassment.
Thieves took less than eight minutes in October to steal priceless crown jewels at the world’s most visited museum in broad daylight.
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The thieves left behind Eugénie’s emerald-encrusted crown, which is set with over 1,300 diamonds, along their escape route outside the museum. The crown was damaged but deemed recoverable.
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Authorities have arrested several suspects in that case, but the seven other priceless treasures, including Eugenie’s diamond-studded tiara, necklaces, earrings and brooches, remain missing.
Man sentenced for selling fake airplane parts for popular engine
The head of a London airline parts firm was sentenced to four years and eight months in prison Monday after selling more than 60,000 fake aircraft engine parts, a fraud that triggered worldwide safety concerns and briefly grounded planes.
Jose Alejandro Zamora Yrala, 38, pleaded guilty in December to fraudulent trading, admitting he falsified paperwork about the source and condition of engine parts sold by his company, AOG Technics, between 2019 and 2023.
Prosecutors said more than 60,000 suspect parts entered the global aviation supply chain as a result of the scheme. Many of the parts were linked to CFM56 engines, widely used in Airbus and Boeing aircraft. The discovery of the fraudulent components in 2023 led to planes being temporarily grounded and prompted calls for tighter industry oversight.
Judge Simon Picken said Zamora Yrala’s actions amounted to a “more or less complete undermining of a regulatory framework designed to safeguard the millions of people who fly every day.”
According to prosecutors, AOG Technics sold falsified parts totaling roughly $9.3 million (£6.9 million) — about 90% of the company’s revenue — causing an estimated $53 million (£39.3 million) in losses across the aviation industry.
American Airlines alone suffered about $31 million (£23 million) in losses tied to engine repairs, replacement leasing and aircraft downtime, prosecutors said.
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Prosecutors said CFM International’s co-owners, GE Aerospace and Safran, lost about $4 million (£3 million) and $780,000 (£580,000) respectively, and suffered reputational damage.
Zamora Yrala was also barred from serving as a company director for eight years and faces confiscation proceedings aimed at compensating affected companies.
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His attorney told the court he had “cut corners in order that he could trade more easily” and did not fully grasp the consequences of his actions.
‘El Mencho’ tracked to secret rendezvous with romantic partner before deadly raid
Mexico’s most-wanted fentanyl kingpin, “El Mencho,” was captured and killed Sunday after authorities tracked his romantic partner to a secret rendezvous location over the weekend, Mexican officials revealed Monday.
The operation reportedly began Feb. 20, targeting Jalisco New Generation Cartel leader Nemesio Oseguera Cervantes, known as “El Mencho.” He carried a $15 million U.S. bounty and rose to power following the arrest of Joaquín “El Chapo” Guzmán, the former head of the Sinaloa Cartel.
Defense Secretary Ricardo Trevilla Trejo said during a news conference that military intelligence identified and located a trusted courier or guard connected to one of Oseguera Cervantes’s romantic partners.
The associate then transported the partner to a designated cabin for an overnight meeting with “El Mencho.”
“On February 20, through central military intelligence work, a man of trust of one of El Mencho’s romantic partners was located, who took her to a facility in the town of Tapalpa, Jalisco,” Trevilla Trejo said.
The following day, the partner left the property, but intelligence confirmed that Oseguera Cervantes remained behind with a small security detail, prompting authorities, including Army Special Forces and the National Guard’s Immediate Reaction Force, to carry out the operation.
Security forces reportedly raided the private property after aerial surveillance spotted Oseguera Cervantes’ inner circle openly carrying illegal high-caliber weapons, including rocket launchers and long guns.
During the confrontation, Oseguera Cervantes’ security detail reportedly fired “very violently” on military personnel, triggering Special Forces to engage the attackers. Officials said eight criminals were killed in the initial phase — correcting earlier reports of four — and two military personnel were also wounded.
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Amid the chaos at the cabins, Oseguera Cervantes and his “close circle” fled into a nearby wooded area, officials said. After soldiers located them “hidden among the brush,” cartel suspects allegedly opened fire on the troops. Military personnel then wounded “El Mencho” and two of his escorts in the shootout, according to Trevilla Trejo.
Military medics determined that Oseguera Cervantes and his two escorts were in critical condition and required immediate evacuation by helicopter. Oseguera Cervantes and his two escorts ultimately died during transport, officials said.
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Authorities noted that 2,500 reinforcements were sent to join the 7,000 already in the state to prevent further violence in the cartel’s retaliation.
Oseguera Cervantes’ capture and subsequent death marks one of Mexico’s most significant blows to drug trafficking and organized crime since President Donald Trump called for intensified crackdowns on cartel violence.
Americans warned of al Qaeda-linked terrorist presence in popular vacation getaway
The U.S. Embassy in Côte d’Ivoire, the Ivory Coast, has reissued a “Level 2: Exercise Increased Caution” travel advisory, adding a note about safety concerns in the popular African destination.
“Exercise increased caution in Côte d’Ivoire due to crime, terrorism, unrest, health and piracy in nearby waters,” according to the advisory that was reposted Feb. 18.
Officials say violent crimes such as carjacking, robbery and home invasions are common in particular areas of the country.
They’ve warned travelers that local police may not be able to help respond to serious crimes — advising tourists to stay aware of their surroundings in urban areas and crowded markets.
“There is risk of terrorist violence, including terrorist attacks and other activity, in Côte d’Ivoire,” the advisory noted.
Officials warned that terrorists may attack tourist spots, nightclubs, hotels, restaurants and places of worship.
Travelers are also advised to avoid demonstrations, protests, political rallies and large crowds, as these can become violent, leading to demonstrators and security force clashes, the advisory said.
The health infrastructure in rural areas of Côte d’Ivoire may be less adequate than those facilities in large cities.
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Officials warned there are often shortages of medicine, medical supplies and basic resources in public and private health facilities.
Hospitals and doctors might also require payment up front prior to service or admission, the advisory said.
Piracy is also a threat, officials said.
“Ships at sea near Côte d’Ivoire are vulnerable to major threats from piracy, armed robbery and kidnapping for ransom… U.S. citizens on vessels in the Gulf of Guinea off West Africa should stay alert.”
Other parts of the tropical country are “Level 4: Do Not Travel.”
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“Do not travel to the northern border region of Côte d’Ivoire for any reason,” the advisory warned.
The advisory comes as the al Qaeda-linked terrorist group Jama’at Nusrat al-Islam wal-Muslimin (JNIM) has been found in the Sahel region, including Burkina Faso and Mali, according to a number of sources.
“In the past, JNIM has crossed the border from Burkina Faso to conduct attacks in northern Côte d’Ivoire,” officials said.
“Attacks have occurred in the Savanes and Zanzan districts, including Comoé National Park. These attacks have mainly targeted Ivoirian security forces, and sometimes civilians.”
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There was an attack at the Étoile du Sud hotel in 2016, in which three Islamist gunmen opened fire and killed at least 19 people.
It is also noted that al Qaeda in the Islamic Maghreb (AQIM) has carried out small-scale attacks in northern Côte d’Ivoire.
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“There have been no recent known incidents of violent extremism in the region, although risks remain along the northern border and in the northeast corner of Côte d’Ivoire,” officials stated.
Some 2 million international visitors arrive in Côte d’Ivoire each year, according to government data.
Trump pulls endorsement from GOP lawmaker over alleged lack of support for administration’s tariff agenda
President Donald Trump on Saturday withdrew his endorsement of Rep. Jeff Hurd, R-Colo., accusing the congressman of lacking support for his tariff policies after Hurd publicly touted Congress’ constitutional authority over trade decisions.
“Based on a lack of support, in particular for the unbelievably successful TARIFFS imposed on Foreign Countries and Companies which has made America Richer, Stronger, Bigger, and Better than ever before, I am hereby WITHDRAWING my Endorsement of RINO Congressman Jeff Hurd, of Colorado’s 3rd District, and fully Endorsing Highly Respected Patriot, Hope Scheppelman, to take his place in Congress,” Trump wrote on Truth Social.
The move came one day after Hurd cited the Constitution’s separation of powers following a Supreme Court ruling Friday limiting the president’s tariff authority, and hours after Trump announced he would raise the global tariff rate to 10% and then 15% on Saturday.
The endorsement reversal marks a rare public break between Trump and a Republican incumbent.
“The Supreme Court has clarified the scope of IEEPA, and that clarification matters,” Hurd posted Friday on X. “Article I assigns Congress the authority to regulate commerce with foreign nations and to impose tariffs. Major trade decisions should rest on clear statutory authority, not expansive emergency interpretations.”
Hurd wrote that while he shares Trump’s broader trade goals, “Strong trade enforcement must be grounded in durable legal footing.”
“If tariffs are necessary, Congress should debate them and vote on them directly. That is how our constitutional system is designed to function,” Hurd said.
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In his Truth Social post announcing the endorsement withdrawal, Trump wrote that Hurd “is one of a small number of Legislators who have let me and our Country down.”
“He is more interested in protecting Foreign Countries that have been ripping us off for decades than he is the United States of America,” Trump added.
Trump also stressed pulling endorsements is uncommon and “difficult” for him:
TRUMP REVEALS HIS ‘NEW HERO’ SUPREME COURT JUSTICE AFTER TARIFFS RULING
“Taking back an Endorsement is a difficult decision for me. I have only done it once before, with a former Congressman named Mo Brooks, from Alabama… These are the decisions that must be made, however, to MAKE AMERICA GREAT AGAIN!”
Earlier Saturday, Trump announced he was raising the global tariff rate from 10% to 15% following a 6-3 Supreme Court decision blocking his use of the International Emergency Economic Powers Act (IEEPA).
“Based on a thorough, detailed, and complete review of the ridiculous, poorly written, and extraordinarily anti-American decision on Tariffs issued yesterday … I, as President of the United States of America, will be, effective immediately, raising the 10% Worldwide Tariff … to the fully allowed, and legally tested, 15% level,” Trump wrote.
The order was issued under Section 122 of the Trade Act of 1974.
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Trump called the ruling “deeply disappointing,” saying he was “ashamed” of certain members of the court.
Trump praised Hope Scheppelman as a “distinguished Critical Care Nurse Practitioner, and a brave U.S. Navy Veteran, who knows the America First Policies required…” and concluded, “unlike RINO Jeff Hurd, HOPE WILL NEVER LET YOU DOWN!”
Fox News Digital reached out to Rep. Hurd’s office for comment but did not immediately receive a response.