Mexico is on edge following the death of drug lord “El Mencho,” with Greek residents describing an atmosphere of unprecedented tension. For them, insecurity is not just a headline—it’s woven into daily life.

Georgia Boutsiani, a board member of the Greek Community in Mexico, told ThessPost.gr that while locals are accustomed to a certain level of danger, the intensity of the current crisis is exceptional.

“It’s unlike anything we’ve experienced before,” Boutsiani said. “Everyone is staying home, glued to the news, schools in Guadalajara are closed. You have to know where the risks are. There’s fear, but there are also precautions—we’ve grown used to it. All the Greeks here are safe.”

Originally from Doliana in the Peloponnese, Boutsiani has lived in Mexico for 28 years, a country that today hosts roughly 3,000–4,000 Greeks.

For Vasilis, 32, who has roots in both Mexico and Greece’s Alexandroupoli, the tension hit close to home in Tampico, Tamaulipas, near the Texas border. He says the unrest sparked by “El Mencho’s” capture and death rippled across multiple states.

“Other regions have felt it too,” he said. “Cars were left in the middle of roads to block traffic, supermarkets closed early despite being 24/7. On the streets, there were only taxis, some motorcycles, and Uber—almost no people. You can feel it in the air—a suspicious quiet. Sunday was the worst day, especially near Guadalajara and tourist hubs like Cancun, where flights were canceled, roads blocked, and shops set on fire.”

Despite the upheaval, Vasilis says life is slowly returning to normal. “Fear is still there, but it’s easing. Insecurity is part of the culture here; you learn to live with it. Coming to Greece, you realize it’s not normal—but it’s part of life here. Media coverage can exaggerate things; not every state feels this tension. Ciudad Juárez is the most dangerous, but most of Mexico is safe. The U.S. has also stepped in to help stabilize the situation,” he said.

In a country where danger can strike suddenly, the Greek community’s message is clear: cautious, watchful, but resilient.