Fact File: Fake and misleading images shared online amid Mexican cartel violence

By Canadian Press on February 25, 2026.

Mexican special forces killed a notorious cartel leader on Sunday, sparking a wave of retaliatory violence that saw cars set ablaze by cartel members and roads blocked in 20 Mexican states.

As smoke filled the sky and Canadian tourists sheltered in place, fake and misleading images claiming to show the destruction of Mexican cities and landmarks spread online. Here’s a look at some of them.

THE CLAIM

A panoramic view shows multiple fires burning across a Mexican city as a result of cartel violence, according to an image shared to Instagram, Facebook and X this week. Some social media users claimed the image showed the town of Puerto Vallarta, an area popular with Canadian tourists.

THE FACTS

Some versions of the image contain a watermark in the bottom right corner that matches the logo for Gemini, a Google product that allows users to create and edit images with AI. In some cases the Gemini logo was removed, but Google AI images contain a digital watermark that can trace their AI origins.

Placing the photo into Google Lens and selecting “about this image” shows a disclaimer that the image was made with Google AI.

One of the burning buildings in the image appears to be a church. Searching “Puerto Vallarta church” on Google Earth brings up a 3D rendering of the area that looks similar to the image, minus the fires, suggesting Google’s AI used the Google Earth view of Puerto Vallarta to generate the image showing fires.

THE CLAIM

Another image shared online on Instagram, Facebook and X claimed to show a passenger airliner on fire. Some posts claimed a cartel started the fire at the airport in Guadalajara.

THE FACTS

In a statement posted to social media in Spanish on Sunday, Grupo Aeroportuario del Pacifico, which operates Guadalajara International Airport, said its airport operations weren’t affected by the recent violence.

It said the airport was under protection by the Mexican National Guard and that no incidents had been reported.

The Mexican embassy in the United States shared a post by Mexican fact-checking outlet InfodemiaMx debunking the claims.

“It Is FALSE that a plane caught fire at Guadalajara Airport,” the embassy wrote on X, adding that the image appeared to be AI-generated and the airport reported no record of a plane catching fire.

Other Mexican authorities that denied claims of chaos at the airport include its security cabinet, federal aviation agency, and Jalisco state government.

THE CLAIM

A video shared to multiple online platforms shows someone filming as they drive down a smoke-filled street, past dozens of burnt-out or burning vehicles and buildings. Some posts claimed the video showed the destruction wrought by cartel members in Mexico after the death of Jalisco New Generation Cartel leader Nemesio Oseguera Cervantes.

THE FACTS

A reverse image search shows the video appears in multiple posts from September 2025, when youth protests in Nepal turned violent.

According to Nepalese and Indian media reports, protesters burnt hundreds of vehicles belonging to government agencies at the Singha Durbar palace in Kathmandu, months before Sunday’s violence in Mexico.

While the video was shared out of context, Canadians in Mexico recounted similar scenes over the weekend, from fires and clouds of black smoke to burnt-out vehicles.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published Feb. 25, 2026.

Marissa Birnie, The Canadian Press

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