‘Fear Is Everywhere’: Mexican City Turned War Zone by Cartel Feud

Published: 25 February 2026 . The English Chronicle Desk. The English Chronicle Online

Residents of Guadalajara, one of Mexico’s largest cities, describe a heavy pall of fear settling over daily life as violent clashes between rival drug cartels and security forces escalate, transforming once-bustling neighbourhoods into de facto war zones. The recent uptick in shootings, arson attacks and confrontations has triggered school closures, flight disruptions and urgent appeals from local authorities for calm, underscoring a broader security crisis in parts of the country’s west. Extensive unrest followed the killing of Nemesio “El Mencho” Oseguera Cervantes, the long-time leader of the Jalisco New Generation Cartel (CJNG), in a military operation earlier this month — an event that appears to have unleashed a wave of retaliation and intensified factional feuding.

“Fear is everywhere,” said one resident in Zapopan, a municipality contiguous with Guadalajara’s urban sprawl. Streets once teeming with shoppers and evening crowds have seen footfall plummet as families stay indoors and shuttered storefronts line main avenues. Security checkpoints have been installed at key intersections, and armoured vehicles have been deployed amid sporadic exchanges of gunfire between armed groups and federal troops. Local media have reported scenes of burning buses and tipped-over vehicles along major thoroughfares, while residents post videos of explosions and distant rifle shots on social platforms, heightening the sense of pervasive danger.

Schools in several districts were ordered to shift to remote learning for safety reasons, and flights departing from Guadalajara International Airport were delayed or cancelled on multiple occasions as security assessments were updated. Municipal authorities confirmed that emergency services have been stretched thin as first responders attend to reports of fires, blocked roads and ongoing violence. Many shop owners have boarded up windows in anticipation of further unrest, and parents recount keeping children indoors even during daylight hours.

Health workers, civil society activists and ordinary citizens all express deep concern about the social toll of the conflict. “People are terrified to go out,” said a nurse at a local hospital, which has treated victims of stray gunfire and burn injuries related to roadside arson. “Everyone is on edge. You hear whispers of where it will flare up next.” Local businesses, particularly restaurants and retail outlets that depend on domestic tourism, report steep declines in customers as the security picture deteriorates.

The surge in violence has drawn international attention, not least because Guadalajara was preparing to host visitors ahead of the FIFA World Cup later this year. Authorities have pledged to ensure the safety of tourists, but the shifting threat environment has complicated planning and prompted reassurances at both the state and federal levels. President Andrés Manuel López Obrador’s administration reiterated commitments to combat organised crime while stressing that public safety remains a priority despite mounting pressures.

Security analysts warn that the death of El Mencho — once one of the most powerful cartel bosses in Mexico — has destabilised long-standing hierarchies within the CJNG and emboldened rival groups seeking territory and influence. The result is not only a spike in violence but also the risk of prolonged urban conflict that could persist if federal and local forces are unable to regain control.

For many residents of Guadalajara and surrounding municipalities, the question is not whether normal life will return but when. The lived reality of daily security checks, the sound of distant gunfire and scenes of empty streets have made fear a constant undercurrent — a stark contrast to the city’s vibrant cultural and economic life before the recent clashes.