FLASH
Shkruar nga Pamfleti
Waves of violence and arson have rocked parts of Mexico, with residents and tourists in Puerto Vallarta describing scenes they liken to a "war zone."
"We woke up to a different reality," said one local resident, describing the moments when the city was engulfed in smoke and flames.
Jerry Jones, an American citizen who has lived in Puerto Vallarta for four years, told BBC News that it all started with footage shared on social media.
"The first sign was a video of a bus burning. A few minutes later, smoke could be seen throughout the city," he said.
According to Jones, vehicles were placed in the middle of the streets and then deliberately set on fire, while in a shopping mall over 30 cars were destroyed by flames. He added that for several hours there was no clear information from the authorities and security forces were seen later in the day.
Marc-André, a Canadian content creator living in the city, stated on his YouTube channel that the situation was unprecedented.
"There were fires everywhere. Hundreds of cars were burning at the same time. Then the streets were completely empty and the atmosphere was unusual," he said.
Other tourists reported similar experiences. Adryan Moorefield of Dallas told CNN that the situation was "a complete shock," as his return flight was canceled. Tim Spencer of Toronto told CBC News that from the roof of the hotel where he was staying, he saw cars and shops on fire.
Authorities urged residents and tourists to stay indoors, while many businesses and schools were closed for security reasons. For several hours, witnesses said, the city remained in a state of uncertainty and panic, with empty streets and an increased presence of security forces later in the day.
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