Podcast: Black Sunday in Paradise

The Puerto Vallarta Travel Show dedicated their latest episode to the events of February 22, 2026 — a day locals are calling “Black Sunday” or El Día Feo (The Ugly Day) — when the death of CJNG cartel leader Nemesio Rubén “El Mencho” Oseguera Cervantes, killed during a military operation in the mountain town of Tapalpa, triggered a violent wave of retaliation across Jalisco and much of Mexico.

In Puerto Vallarta, masked men on motorcycles carjacked vehicles, set them ablaze at key intersections, and burned OXXO stores, Kioscos, and several pharmacies — effectively blockading the city from roughly 8:15 a.m. until military and police moved in around 4:30 p.m. Final damage tallies: 228 vehicles destroyed, 141 commercial establishments damaged.

Barry interviews several expat residents who witnessed the chaos firsthand — Stefan and Ada of Living Simply in Mexico, news anchor Brent Lane (whose live coverage that day gave birth to a new channel, PVRN), tour guide Audra Ricketts, Canadian residents Deb and Ray, architects Cara and Jose, and neighbor Randy Winrow, who opened his home to 70 displaced tourists.

A consistent theme emerged across all interviews: the violence was targeted at infrastructure, not people. Businesses and streets returned to near-normal by Tuesday, February 25.

The bottom line: Puerto Vallarta is safe, open, and very much in need of tourist support. Come back.