TJ Madsen is among the founding members of the New Herald Tribune and chairs the editorial board. He worked for national syndicated newspapers in Newark, Philadelphia, and Baltimore before moving to the midwest.
February 23 , 2026
PUERTO VALLARTA, Mexico — The U.S. Department of Defense confirmed early Monday that an emergency extraction team evacuated Senator Ted Cruz (R-TX) from his private residence in Puerto Vallarta, Mexico, after escalating cartel-related violence engulfed parts of the coastal city over the weekend.
According to a brief statement from Pentagon officials, Cruz “was safely transported to a secure location outside the affected zone following a coordinated interagency effort.” The statement did not specify the timing or method of the evacuation, citing operational security, but emphasized that “all U.S. personnel involved are safe.”
Local authorities declared a state of emergency Saturday night after clashes intensified following the reported killing of an alleged regional drug leader linked to the Jalisco New Generation Cartel. The incident triggered widespread roadblocks, arson, and sporadic gunfire across Jalisco state, prompting warnings from the U.S. Consulate in Guadalajara for American citizens to shelter in place or seek immediate evacuation.
A source familiar with the senator’s security arrangements, who spoke on condition of anonymity, said Cruz’s staff requested assistance “out of an abundance of caution” after local infrastructure began to break down.
The Mexican government has not publicly commented on the U.S. extraction, though a senior official in Mexico City described coordination between the two governments as “professional and limited in scope.”
By Monday afternoon, calm had not yet fully returned to Puerto Vallarta, though Mexican National Guard patrols were visible in tourist areas and access to the airport had been restored.
Cruz’s office released a short statement thanking “both U.S. and Mexican authorities for their professionalism during a rapidly changing situation” and noting that the senator “intends to return to Texas later this week.”
The State Department continues to urge Americans to reconsider travel to Jalisco and neighboring states due to ongoing security risks.
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