Puerto Vallarta, Jalisco – On August 5, a contingent of 90 Special Forces soldiers touched down in Guadalajara to reinforce security across key corridors in Jalisco. The group lifted off at 1:30 p.m. from Military Air Base No. 1 in Santa Lucía and arrived around 3:00 p.m. at the Attorney General’s Office (FGR) hangar near Guadalajara International Airport. Their assignment is focused and immediate: visible patrols, deterrence, and prevention in Zapopan and Puerto Vallarta, in close coordination with federal, state, and municipal authorities. Officials say the objective is straightforward—reassure residents and visitors while pressing organized groups under sustained pressure.
Special Forces deploy to Jalisco
The deployment marks a clear escalation in the state’s public security posture. Soldiers arrived equipped for rapid response and joined local police and the National Guard in joint patrols. Commanders plan daily briefings with state authorities to share actionable intelligence gathered in real time. The unit will move where recent data shows the most risk, with a mandate to disrupt criminal cells and deny them room to operate.
Zapopan and Puerto Vallarta have seen recent spikes in violence that unsettle daily life and the visitor economy. In Zapopan, small businesses report extortion and kidnapping rings placing a heavy burden on neighborhoods. In Puerto Vallarta, analysts point to coastal routes that attract smuggling groups looking to move people and goods. Local police acknowledge they lack the manpower and high-grade equipment to confront these networks on every front. Military support aims to strengthen street-level deterrence while improving response times.
What residents will notice on the ground
Expect a larger uniformed presence near transport hubs, main avenues, and identified hot spots. Joint patrols will be visible and frequent. Authorities will use the daily command briefings to redirect patrols, tighten perimeters, and act on emerging leads. The near-term goal is to stabilize day-to-day life—shortening the time between a report and a response, and signaling that high-risk areas will not be left uncovered.
For Puerto Vallarta, that matters beyond safety alone. Tourism rides on a sense of ease—crowded boardwalks, late dinners, easy taxi rides home. Security leaders frame this deployment as a reassurance measure for residents and tourists alike, with the hope that a steadier public order follows visible patrols and quick interventions.
The backdrop driving this move
Jalisco ranks third nationally for organized crime investigations in early 2025, with 23 new case files opened between January and June. Only Mexico City and Sinaloa recorded more. In June, the state registered 74 intentional homicides, a figure above the national monthly average. That pressure shows up in family routines and storefront ledgers before it shows up on spreadsheets. People adjust routes. Businesses shorten hours. Rumors carry weight. The military’s message is that those habits should not harden into a new normal.
Local analysts tie the surge to fights over territory and transport corridors. Puerto Vallarta’s coastline offers access points prized by rival groups. Zapopan’s dense commercial zones provide targets for extortion that can scale. The logic of the deployment is to raise the cost of operating in both places, day and night, by increasing scrutiny and compressing reaction time after a tip or an incident.
