Widespread violence erupted across Mexico on Sunday after the Mexican army killed Nemesio Rubén Oseguera Cervantes, known as “El Mencho,” the powerful leader of the Jalisco New Generation Cartel. According to reporting from the Associated Press, Oseguera Cervantes died after a shootout in his home state of Jalisco during an operation to capture him.
In the hours that followed his death Sunday, armed groups launched retaliatory attacks across multiple regions. The Associated Press reported that more than 250 roadblocks were set up across 20 states, with vehicles burned and highways blocked in what authorities described as coordinated retaliation.
By Monday, security officials confirmed that at least 73 people had died in the operation and its violent aftermath, including 25 members of the Mexican National Guard. Guadalajara, Jalisco’s capital, was described by the AP as nearly a ghost town Sunday night as residents sheltered in place amid gunfire and fires.
Images showed charred trucks, vandalized storefronts, and smoke rising across parts of the state as fearful civilians stayed indoors.
The rapid escalation on Sunday directly affected religious services and missionary work across impacted areas. For members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, the unrest coincided with Sabbath worship, forcing leaders and members to make swift safety decisions.
Dominant Cartels throughout Mexico (Figure courtesy of Geopolitical Futures ©2018, https://www.geopoliticalfutures.com. Source: U.S. Congressional Research Service/Drug Enforcement Administration 2015). | Army University PressPleas for Prayers
Laurie Norton Molinar, whose son Elder Peyton Molinar is serving in Mexico, publicly asked for prayers as the violence unfolded Sunday. “With the recent events in Mexico, Americans have been asked to shelter in place,” she wrote.
She shared that the mission president had informed parents that missionaries were inside their homes and accounted for, and that she had spoken directly with her son. “He said they can hear explosions and gunfire around them and that the highway has been destroyed,” she wrote. “He’s in good spirits and trying to reassure me, but as his mom, my heart is in my throat.”
She concluded with a plea that reflected the fear many parents felt Sunday evening. “I am begging for prayers for Peyton and his companion, for the other missionaries, and for all Americans and families in Mexico right now. Please pray for protection, peace, and that this situation calms quickly.”
Missionaries Instructed to Stay Home
Mission presidents across several regions issued precautionary instructions as the unrest intensified, which were quickly reshared through social media. A statement from the Mexico Guadalajara Mission, signed by President and Sister Luna, informed parents that “due to inconveniences and incidents that have been occurring measures have been taken for the safety of each of our missionaries.”
The message reassured families that “they are safe and secure in their homes” and emphasized continued communication.
In the Mexico Mexicali Mission, President and Sister Robinson similarly reported that “as a precautionary measure, we ask all missionaries to stay home for the rest of the day. Everyone is now safe and sound in their homes!”
They noted that missionaries could continue their efforts through technology and mobile devices and testified, “We know without a doubt the great power these missionaries carry with them and that our Heavenly Father watches over them one by one.”
The Mexico Oaxaca Mission provided additional context, stating that the armed confrontation in Jalisco had triggered retaliatory blockades across nine states—reporting by Mexican officials later confirmed the number to be much higher.
“All our missionaries are safe and well,” leadership wrote, adding that in Juchitán and Salina Cruz, 66 elders and sisters would remain in their homes for several days as a preventive measure. The statement emphasized that the physical safety of missionaries was the highest priority.
Another communication from the Mexico Guadalajara East Mission confirmed that, following incidents in Jalisco and surrounding areas, “at this time all of them are safe at home.” Across the statements, the consistent response was clear: missionaries were instructed to shelter in place while leaders monitored conditions.
Sunday Worship Disrupted
Local congregations also adjusted Sunday worship in real time. A Facebook post citing “information from various members on the stakes of the metropolitan area of Guadalajara” stated that Sunday services had been suspended in some areas as a preventive measure.
While these notices are being shared secondhand through social media, they align with multiple firsthand accounts from members present during services. Comments beneath the post described the unfolding situation Sunday morning.
Lilly Hernandez wrote that after attending a 9:00 a.m. sacrament meeting, security authorities instructed members not to leave the building. “We are here locked in the building waiting for everything to calm down,” she shared.
Carlos Ramirez, identifying himself as a member of the Puerto Vallarta stake, described arriving at church just as gunfire began. “As soon as we arrive and enter the Sacramental Hall the shooting began,” he wrote, adding that approximately ten families remained sheltered inside for hours while waiting for clearance from authorities.
Others recounted abbreviated services and urgent returns home later in the morning. Iris Camacho shared that in Sayula, members completed Sunday classes before being instructed to return home due to the danger.
“Before going home we prayed together for everyone’s well being,” she wrote. “God has prepared us for these days, let us be of good cheer and trust in our redeemer Jesus Christ.”
Comments referenced concerns in Michoacán and Puerto Vallarta as well, reflecting the ripple effect that extended far beyond Jalisco. Former missionary Darin Beal, who previously served in Guadalajara and throughout Jalisco and Nayarit, expressed sorrow at the news.
“It saddened me to hear that the area erupted in violence after the death of a local cartel member,” he wrote. “I pray for the safety of everyone in the area and those with family there. The world is a very unpredictable place.”
Order Slowly Returning, Uncertainty Remains
By Monday morning, much of the country remained on edge as authorities worked to restore order.
PBS reported that several Mexican states canceled school Monday and that both local and foreign governments warned citizens to remain indoors during the height of the unrest. President Claudia Sheinbaum urged calm, and by later Monday, authorities said that all of the more than 250 cartel roadblocks across 20 states had been cleared, according to both PBS and the Associated Press.
The Associated Press also reported that traffic began cautiously returning to parts of Guadalajara after the city had been largely shut down the previous night. At the same time, analysts cited by the AP warned that the power vacuum created by the cartel leader’s death could create further instability in the days ahead.
For many Latter-day Saints in Mexico and families watching from abroad, peace comes less from headlines and more from prayer, from messages that loved ones are accounted for, and from a shared trust that even in moments of instability, they are not facing them alone.
Holly Wallace is a writer and storyteller drawn to meaningful questions and overlooked details. Her work explores Latter-day Saint life and culture through faithful inquiry, inviting readers to pause, consider, and engage more deeply with what matters most.
Thank you for this. We have a grand-daughter serving currently in Mexico north of Mexico City. Her parents and my wife are currently on an 19 day cruise to Hawaii and I’m just a concerned grandpa. I’ve had no word from the family at all if the missionaries are safe though I expect that if something happened someone would call me? Anyway, the news from LDS.org is completely missing any information… this is the only article I’ve found so far about the current missionary situation in MX. Thanks again… greatly appreciated.