The United States has suspended all government operations in Mexico’s Michoacan state, citing what it described as a “threat to U.S. interests.” The move includes a temporary halt to avocado inspections required for exports to the American market.
The U.S. Embassy announced the decision in a security alert on Wednesday but did not disclose the specific nature of the threat.
Reacting to the development, Michoacan Governor Alfredo Ramírez Bedolla said the suspension was introduced to protect inspection personnel following recent arrests connected to extortion activities in the state.
The inspections are mandatory before avocados can be exported to the United States, raising concerns that the suspension could disrupt shipments from Mexico’s largest avocado-producing region.
Michoacan is the leading supplier of avocados to the U.S. but has long struggled with organised crime. At least four criminal cartels, designated as terrorist organisations by the Trump administration, are known to operate in the state. In addition to drug trafficking, the groups have been linked to extortion targeting the lucrative avocado industry.
Michoacan State Security Secretary Antonio Cruz said one of the recent arrests involved Alfonso Fernández Magallón, also known as “El Poncho,” who allegedly heads a local cartel operating in the avocado-producing area of Los Reyes.
U.S. Ambassador to Mexico Ronald Johnson welcomed the arrest, which took place over the weekend. The United States had previously offered a $5 million reward for information leading to Fernández Magallón’s capture.
Cruz said authorities had not received reports of any direct attacks on U.S. avocado inspectors. However, he disclosed that about 300 security personnel had been deployed to Los Reyes as a precaution.
The governor said efforts were focused on restoring safe conditions so inspections could restart.
“Ensure the security conditions necessary for these operations to resume normally,” he said, noting that similar suspensions had been resolved in the past.
Mexico supplies roughly 80 per cent of all avocados imported into the United States. Often referred to locally as “green gold,” the industry supports an estimated 200,000 jobs in Michoacan.
According to official figures, Mexico exported $3.65 billion worth of avocados to the U.S. in 2025, while exports during the first four months of this year increased by 35 per cent compared to the same period last year.
The U.S. Department of Agriculture stations inspectors in Mexico to certify that avocados and other agricultural products are free from pests before entering the American market. Similar security concerns involving threats against inspectors have led to temporary suspensions in the past.
