The U.S. Consulate in Tijuana issued a travel alert for Mexicali, advising U.S. citizens to be cautious due to undisclosed cartel threats and to avoid government buildings in the city. The warning went out Monday night and took effect Tuesday, according to the source report.
Mexican outlets tie threat to ‘Los Rusos’
Mexican news outlets reported the threats are linked to the Los Rusos cell of the Sinaloa Cartel and cited intercepted communications about plans to attack Mexicali police buildings and facilities of Mexico’s Attorney General’s Office in the city. The consulate’s alert itself did not list details of the threat, per the report.
Who is ‘Los Rusos’ and recent seizures
The source describes Los Rusos as an enforcement arm of the Mayos faction of the Sinaloa Cartel, led by Juan Jose “El Ruso” Ponce Felix, an accused drug trafficker wanted by the U.S. Department of Justice. In recent weeks, Mexican federal forces have targeted members of Los Rusos and, last week, seized 120 kilograms of fentanyl pills from the group, according to the report.
Official response in Baja California
Following the alert, the Baja California government issued a statement saying local, state, and federal police are working with Mexican military forces to increase patrols and enforcement actions to deter violence, per the source.
Violence backdrop and a recent precedent
The source notes ongoing cartel violence in Baja California involving rival Sinaloa Cartel factions and cells of Cartel Jalisco New Generation, with most incidents characterized as targeted killings and forced disappearances rather than large-scale gunfights.
Weeks earlier, the U.S. Department of State issued a similar warning in Michoacán. At that time, Breitbart Texas reported the threat was tied to Jose “El Abuelo” Farias and that he had sought to place a bounty on military personnel and U.S. agents targeting him. Breitbart Texas further reported the U.S. pulled its employees from that area, including avocado and citrus inspectors, temporarily freezing a significant segment of the state’s agricultural economy.
What travelers were told
The consulate alert, as described in the source report, advised avoiding government buildings in Mexicali and being aware of one’s surroundings. No additional specifics were provided.
