Is it safe to travel to Mexico? Latest Foreign Office advice as Brits urged to ‘stay indoors’

The killing of a notorious cartel boss in Mexico has sparked civil unrest and violence across the Latin American country.

Head of the Jalisco New Generation Cartel, Nemesio Ruben Oseguera Cervantes, who went by the nickname ‘El Mencho’, was killed on February 22, 2026, along with six alleged accomplices.

His death has triggered an immediate outbreak of disorder — including roadblocks and car fires — an indicator of the drug lord’s huge influence across Mexico.

As a result, flights to and from the country, popular among UK holidaymakers, have been disrupted.

Puerto Vallarta International Airport — on Mexico’s Pacific cost — announced it had cancelled ‘all international operations and most of the domestic flights’ on Sunday.

Meanwhile, the British Foreign Office has warned people to ‘stay indoors’.

So, is it safe for British tourists to visit Mexico right now? Metro outlines the latest guidance below.

What’s happening in Mexico right now?

The Jalisco New Generation Cartel, known as CJNG, is one of the most powerful and fastest-growing criminal organisations in Mexico.

It’s been operating since 2009, and has launched various attacks on the military during that time, launching explosives from drones and installing mines.

It’s one of the main suppliers of cocaine to the US market, and also earns a substantial amount of money from fentanyl and methamphetamines.

In 2020, it carried out a spectacular assassination attempt with grenades and high-powered rifles in the heart of Mexico City, targeting the then head of the capital’s police force and now federal security secretary.

Videos circulating on social media show plumes of smoke billowing over the tourist city of Jalisco, and people sprinting through the airport in panic.

Is Mexico safe to visit? What the latest Foreign Office travel advice says

The UK Foreign Office last updated its travel advice for British citizens on February 23, and it currently advises against all but essential travel to the city of Tijuana.

There are a few exceptions, though, as travel to and through the following destinations is permitted:

• Airside transit through Tijuana Airport
• The Cross Border Xpress bridge from the airport, which links terminals across the Mexican-US border
• The federal toll road 1D and Via Rápida from Tijuana to the border.

The Foreign Office has also advised against all but essential travel to Tecate, in Baja California, including the roads that link this city to Tijuana.

The advice adds that while there’s another state with a similar name, Baja California Sur, this is not included in the warning.

The ‘all but essential travel’ warning also applies to the following:

• Chihuahua
• Sinaloa, including the cities of Los Mochis and Mazatlán
• Tamaulipas
• Zacatecas
• Guanajuato
• Michoacán (with the exception of Pátzcuaro, and boat trips out to the islands on Lake Pátzcuaro)
• Jalisco (including the northern areas of Bolaños, Chimaltitán, Colotlán, Hostotipaquillo, Huejúcar, Huequilla el Alto, Mezquitic, San Martin de Bolaños, Santa Maria de los Ángeles, Totatiche, and Villa Guerrero)
• Colima
• Guerrero
• Chiapas.

The Foreign Office adds that tourists who travel against this advice could see their travel insurance invalidated.

Are destinations like Cancún affected?

Cancún is one of the most popular holiday destinations in Mexico, and it’s visited by more than 10 million tourists each year.

The Foreign Office has a colour-coded map which highlights the warnings in each area, and as of February 23, Cancún is coded green, which means that British travellers should check travel advice before travelling.

While there isn’t a warning against all essential travel in place in Cancún, the region-specific advice says the following, all unrelated to the current political climate in Mexico:

• Taxi drivers are often seen protesting about Uber near hotels in Cancún, and some have pulled tourists from Ubers
• The Mexican government has made extra efforts to protect the country’s most significant tourist destinations, including Cancún
• Rival gangs have clashed in Cancún in the past, but these gangs haven’t sought out tourists
• It’s important to be cautious when out and about in Cancún in the dark, staying in well-lit streets and tourist zones
• Crocodiles typically live in lagoons, including in Cancún.

What about British tourists who are already in Mexico?

The Foreign Office has the following advice for British tourists who are already in Puerto Vallarta, specifically:

‘Authorities in Puerto Vallarta have issued a public advisory to stay indoors. Routes to airports may be blocked. You should exercise extreme caution, follow local authorities’ advice, including orders to stay indoors and avoid non‑essential travel in affected areas.’

The website adds that there are already reports of blockades across certain roads in impacted states, and has urged the importance of monitoring local media and following advice issued by the authorities.

‘Security incidents have also been reported in other parts of Mexico.  As the situation develops, wherever you are in Mexico, you should stay alert and follow local security advice,’ the website continues.

Those who’re already in Mexico can access emergency help from the following services:

• British Consulate General Cancún
• British Embassy Mexico City
• The Foreign Office.

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