Jalisco Denies US Travel Alert for Puerto Vallarta, Unveils Massive World Cup Security Plan

PUERTO VALLARTA, Mexico — Jalisco state officials have categorically denied rumors of a US government travel advisory targeting Puerto Vallarta, while unveiling a sprawling security plan for the 2026 World Cup that will deploy more than 15,000 federal, state, and municipal officers across the region.

Perla Lorena López Guízar, head of the State Public Security Council, was blunt: "No, there is no official alert." She confirmed the state has received no documentation from either the US Embassy or the State Department backing up the rumors that have circulated in local media.

The denial came during a meeting with business leaders where the state presented its World Cup security strategy. The plan includes the creation of a Regional Security Advisory Council that will meet monthly, with a focus on Guadalajara, Puerto Vallarta, and various Pueblos Mágicos expected to draw international visitors.

The security deployment is substantial for a state that has faced persistent cartel violence in its interior regions. Puerto Vallarta has largely remained insulated from the worst of that violence, but the proximity of hotspots has made tourism officials sensitive to any suggestion that the city is unsafe.

Separately, the Jalisco Prosecutor's Office pushed back against speculation about a serial killer operating in Puerto Vallarta following recent homicides of women in the area. Prosecutors said investigations are ongoing with multiple lines of inquiry and no evidence points to a serial predator.

The meeting brought together mayors of Puerto Vallarta, Cabo Corrientes, and San Sebastián del Oeste in a show of coordination aimed at reassuring residents and international visitors who will descend on the region for the World Cup. For tourism-dependent PV, perception is everything — and Jalisco is making sure that perception stays positive.