Unidentified individuals set fire to a Costco store in Puerto Vallarta, Mexico, between 9:15 AM and 10:15 AM UTC on February 23, 2026, according to a post by MostlyPeaceful on X citing reports of the blaze. This incident escalates unrest following the killing of CJNG leader Nemesio Oseguera Cervantes, El Mencho, in a Mexican military raid with U.S. intelligence support. The Costco fire marks a new target in Puerto Vallarta, where municipal police had detained 12 people, including minors, for looting convenience stores in various neighborhoods earlier between 7:15 AM and 8:15 AM UTC, as reported by Public Safety of Puerto Vallarta via CarolinaGomezA on X. A post by MostlyPeaceful on X urged U.S. President Donald Trump to deploy Delta Force, stating "a line has been crossed" in response to the burning Costco. Previous incidents in Puerto Vallarta and surrounding Jalisco areas included six arrests for looting a burnt Oxxo in Zapopan and prevented attempts in Tlajomulco, per JaliscoRojo_ and GNocturnaMX on X from earlier windows on February 23. White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt confirmed U.S. intelligence support for the El Mencho operation, which also killed three CJNG members, wounded three, and arrested two, via StatWatch25 on X.
