Emily Smith, a British expat who has called Mexico home for the past six years, took to social media to give her firsthand account of what life looks like on the ground in the popular tourist destination of Playa del Carmen following a surge of cartel-related violence that swept across the country. Her posts quickly gained traction as thousands of tourists and travel planners scrambled for reliable information amid the chaos. Smith, a mother of four, described a situation that was alarming yet more nuanced than what was circulating online. Her perspective offered a rare, unfiltered look at how everyday residents experience the ripple effects of organized crime conflicts.
The turmoil was triggered by the killing of El Mencho, one of Mexico’s most notorious and long-sought drug lords, whose death over the weekend sent shockwaves through cartel networks across the country. In response, furious gang members launched coordinated acts of disruption, setting vehicles on fire and blocking roads in multiple states in an apparent attempt to bring cities to a standstill. Residents and tourists alike were advised to stay indoors as federal and state authorities scrambled to restore order. The violence spread far beyond the cartel’s traditional strongholds, with effects felt even in resort towns far removed from the initial clashes.
“We are a family of four living in Playa del Carmen and, as you may have seen, there has been a lot of news lately about cartel gangs running wild, fires, and everything that’s been happening in the Quintana Roo area,” Smith explained in her video. She described the situation as quite intense, noting that residents had received warnings to stay home due to threats of further explosions. Though Playa del Carmen sits more than 1,200 miles from Guadalajara, one of the hardest-hit cities, Smith confirmed that the unrest made itself felt locally as well. “There were quite a few burned cars in our area,” she said, while reassuring her audience that her family remained safe.
@emilysmith_bxx What’s happening in Mexico 🇲🇽 playa Del Carmen today?? What’s the situation??? #fyp #travel #mexico #quintanaroo #tulum #cancun #news #mexico ♬ original sound – 🌴 Emily Smith | SAHM 🌈
Despite the scary circumstances, Smith moved quickly to address the flood of misinformation spreading across social media platforms. “Right now there is a lot of misinformation circulating, especially about the state of Quintana Roo,” she warned her followers. She was clear that all four international airports in the region were operating as normal, and that hotel zones and hospitals in her area were secure. She also noted the increased presence of both federal and state security forces, which had helped stabilize the situation relatively quickly.
One of the more striking parts of Smith’s account involved fake images of destruction that had gone viral online. She described being sent a photo supposedly showing a restaurant near her neighborhood engulfed in flames, only to drive past the same building and find it completely intact. “It turned out the image was AI-generated,” she explained, a claim that was independently corroborated by Reuters, which also flagged artificially generated fire photos circulating in connection with the unrest. Smith urged people to be cautious about what they share and believe online, particularly during fast-moving crises when panic spreads faster than facts.
For those with upcoming travel plans, Smith had a measured but reassuring message. “Tourism and daily life here where I live, in Playa del Carmen, have returned to normal,” she said, adding that people planning to attend the World Cup in Mexico this summer should “not panic.” Her grounded tone stood in contrast to the alarming headlines that had caused many travelers to reconsider their trips. Authorities in the Riviera Maya region also issued official updates encouraging residents and visitors to follow verified government channels rather than rely on unverified social media posts.
Playa del Carmen is a coastal city in the state of Quintana Roo on Mexico’s Caribbean coast, located about 40 miles south of Cancun. It is one of the most visited tourist destinations in Latin America, drawing millions of visitors annually to its beaches, cenotes, and proximity to ancient Mayan ruins like Tulum and Chichen Itza. The Riviera Maya corridor, which stretches from Cancun down through Tulum, is a critical economic engine for Mexico, with tourism accounting for a significant portion of the region’s GDP. El Mencho, whose real name is Nemesio Oseguera Cervantes, was the leader of the Jalisco New Generation Cartel, known as CJNG, one of the most powerful and violent drug trafficking organizations in the world. The CJNG had long been designated a transnational criminal organization by the U.S. government, and El Mencho had a $10 million bounty on his head offered by U.S. authorities. The cartel is known for its military-style tactics and rapid territorial expansion, making the aftermath of its leader’s death an especially volatile moment for public safety across Mexico.
If you have thoughts on the situation in Mexico or have traveled to the region recently, share your experience in the comments.
