American tourists left stranded in beautiful Mexico hotspot as cartels torch cars and wreak havoc in ‘code red’ attack | 22 Feb 2026 | Tourist hotspot Puerto Vallarta, Mexico, has erupted into fiery chaos after federal forces conducted an operation to kill a prominent cartel leader, who have fought back on the embattled streets of the city. The US state department has issued a security alert for all Americans stranded in the area, warning them to shelter in place, avoid crowds, and minimize their movements. Catastrophic photos from across the city showed buses exploding in flames, homes torched and billowing black smoke traveling through the sky during the unrest.