Mexico deploys 10,000 troops as cartel gunmen storm jail and free dozens of dangerous prisoners

Mexican authorities are responding after cartel gunmen stormed a prison in Puerto Vallarta, triggering the escape of at least 23 inmates described as dangerous. The incident was detailed by Daily Express UK, which reported that Mexico has deployed 10,000 troops amid fears of escalating violence.

The breach occurred at a regional prison in Puerto Vallarta, Jalisco, when an armed group attacked the facility. Jalisco public security secretary Juan Pablo Hernández said the assailants opened fire and used an armored vehicle to ram a gate, and a prison guard was killed during the shootout.

Mexican news outlet N+ reportedly said the inmates who escaped from the Ixtapa prison’s reintegration center are considered “highly dangerous.” Authorities have been searching for those who fled as security forces increased their presence across affected areas.

The prison attack followed the reported death of a cartel leader

The prison assault and troop deployment were described as coming in the wake of the death of Nemesio Oseguera Cervantes, known as “El Mencho.” He was identified as the leader of the Jalisco New Generation Cartel, which was linked in the report to fentanyl, methamphetamine, and cocaine trafficking into the United States.

The report said Mexico and the United States had pursued Oseguera Cervantes for years and that he faced outstanding warrants tied to organized crime and drug trafficking in both countries. Separately, iPad kid phenomenon backlash continued to ripple through the broader news cycle. It also described the cartel as having carried out brazen attacks on Mexican government officials.

Mexico’s defense secretary Ricardo Trevilla said special forces, with assistance from US intelligence, located Oseguera Cervantes in Jalisco. Trevilla said authorities tracked one of his romantic partners to a hideout in Tapalpa and that multiple shootouts occurred during the operation.

The report said eight gunmen were killed during the clashes and that Oseguera Cervantes and two bodyguards were wounded, taken into custody, and later died while being transported to Mexico City. It added that more than 70 people were killed during the operation and immediate violence that followed, including security forces and suspected cartel members. A John Barron CSPAN caller also drew attention online as a separate political flashpoint.

After his reported death on Sunday, the report said unrest spread across at least 20 Mexican states. It said the cartel responded by blocking roads and setting vehicles on fire as authorities moved to regain control and capture the escaped inmates.