Smoke billows from burning vehicles amid a wave of violence, with torched vehicles and gunmen blocking highways in more than half a dozen states, following a military operation in which a government source said Mexican drug lord Nemesio Oseguera, known as “El Mencho,” was killed, in Puerto Vallarta, Jalisco, Mexico, February 22, 2026, in this screen grab obtained from a social media video.
Stringer | Reuters
Trade between the United States and Mexico could be hurt dramatically if the flare-ups of violence across Mexico continue in response to the killing of a cartel boss, warn logistics companies that are worried about freight operations for routes involving the key U.S. trade partner and at the border.
The head of the Jalisco New Generation Cartel, Nemesio “El Mencho” Oseguera Cervantes, was killed along with other cartel membersin a Mexican military operation aided by U.S. intelligence over the weekend. This led to outbreaks of violence and attacks on public infrastructure on Sunday and Monday by cartel factions.
Mexico is among the top trading partners of the U.S. and impacts on air and trucking routes are beginning to be reported by freight companies. The cancellation of flights to Mexico by major U.S. passenger airlines will also have a significant impact on the movement of freight. That is because approximately 50 percent of air freight, by weight, is moved by passenger aircraft.
American Airlines canceled flights Sunday to and from Guadalajara, Mazatlán and Puerto Vallarta. Southwest Airlines also canceled flights, along with Delta, which also diverted flights. United Airlines and Air Canada also canceled flights to the region.
A spokesperson for cross-border logistics firm Kuehne + Nagel said with airports in Guadalajara affected, numerous flight cancellations also include freighter operations into and out of the airport. “The situation is impacting our ability to deliver and pick up cargo,” said the spokesperson. “So far, we have not observed any issues at our main gateways (Felipe AngelesAirportand Mexico City Airport) for flight operations, but the situation will raise challenges with the delivery and pickup process to/from affected states,” the spokesperson added.
In response to the violence, the U.S. State Department issued a shelter-in-place order for JaliscoState (including Puerto Vallarta, Chapala, and Guadalajara), Tamaulipas State (including Reynosa and other municipalities), areas of Michoacan State, Guerrero State, and Nuevo Leon State. The violence has prompted logistics companies including Kuehne + Nagel to have employees in the impacted areas work from home.
In addition to air freight, CH Robinson says container port pickup and drop-off are being hit by the security situation in western Mexico. “Road blockades have cut off some freight corridors, initially including the routes connecting the Port of Manzanillo to Guadalajara and moving freight northeast,” said Veronica Gonzalez, CH Robinson’s North America surface transportation Mexicodirector.
The Port of Manzanillo, the country’s busiest container port, was temporarily closed to containers coming in or out. While it reopened and was operating normally on Monday, blockades and fires continued to interrupt freight movement. Located on Mexico’s Pacific Coast, the Port of Manzanillo handles over 3.5 million containers annually, moving nearly half of all containerized cargo for Mexico. The port is also a vital gateway for Asian imports.
The violence is also reducing trucking volume between the U.S. and Mexican border, according to Gonzalez. More than20,000 commercial truckscross the border between Laredo and Nuevo Laredo on an average weekday. “With many carriers unwilling to send drivers into parts of western Mexico, trucking capacity in the region tightened very quickly. We are not yet aware of any impacts to air cargo,” she said.
Logistics companies say they have prior experience monitoring on-the-ground crises and working with carriers and customers to reroute freight where possible. But logistics experts warn even with cross-border trade flowing, highways at key border crossings, including Laredo and El Paso, will continue to be subject to delays.
“Anything touching western Mexico is likely to run behind schedule,” Gonzalez said. “From our 35 years of experience in Mexico, I’d say shippers should plan for delays through at least the first half of the week.”
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