Calgarians in Puerto Vallarta are sheltering in place amid a surge of violence in the Mexican state of Jalisco that unfolded on Sunday.
Mexican government officials are warning residents that Jalisco State, including the popular tourist destination Puerto Vallarta, is not safe for travel at the moment.
Global Affairs Canada issued a warning to people in the area on Sunday that criminal groups have set up roadblocks with burning vehicles throughout the state and in Guerrero State — including Acapulco — and Michoacan State.
“Criminal groups have set up roadblocks with burning vehicles in several cities in Jalisco State, including in Puerto Vallarta,” the advisory says.
“There have been shootouts with security forces and explosions.”
Foreign Affairs Minister Anita Anand said in a Monday press conference that more than 26,000 Canadians in Mexico have registered abroad with the federal government, including more than 8,000 who contacted Global Affairs Canada in the last day.
She says she spoke to her Mexican counterpart, who expects the situation in the country to “normalize” in the coming days. She also says Canadians should follow local instructions and keep sheltering in place if that is the direction given to them.
This comes after reports say the country’s army killed the leader of the Jalisco New Generation Cartel, Nemesio Rubén Oseguera Cervantes, “El Mencho,” in an operation. Anand says she is monitoring the situation.
Cartel members then set up roadblocks with burning vehicles in Jalisco and other states, considered a common tactic by cartels to block military operations.
Later Sunday, Anand said the Emergency Watch and Response Centre (EWRC) in Ottawa is available 24/7 and can be contacted by the following:
- Phone: 1-613-996-8885.
- Text: 1-613-686-3658.
- WhatsApp: 1-613-909-8881.
- E-mail: sos@international.gc.ca.
Calgarian Russ Chopek and his wife are in Puerto Vallarta, a major tourist city in Jalisco.
In an email to 660 NewsRadio on Sunday, he says they are sheltering in place with traffic completely closed off in the area, saying everyone is shaken by the violence.
“We are near a high traffic zone not far from the Malecon at our resort. It’s completely closed off, and they are finding extra accommodations for guests that are supposed to fly out,” he said.
“Very quiet here at the moment. Guests are obviously quite shaken.”
He adds, using a wireless network connection that is “spotty,” that they are there for an OK Tire Conference and that the team is currently safe.
From their Puerto Vallarta hotel — the Buenaventure Grand — they can see smoke over the nearby beach. Two doors down, Chopek say there are cartel members on the roof with guns.
Calgarian Brandon Brotsky and his friend Chris tell CityNews on Sunday that they are sheltering in place at a nearby AirBnB.
“The OXXO (convenience store) is 150 feet away. We walked to breakfast this morning, but there was a few fires. We didn’t really know what was going on yet,” Chris explained.
“We went to breakfast. We came back 20 minutes later; our OXXO burned down. So we had just missed them torching it.”
Lisa Lamphier from Calgary is vacationing in Nuevo Vallarta, about 20 minutes away from Puerto Vallarta. She said on Tuesday they have been hunkering down, waiting for updates.
“Biggest concern is how busy the airport is going to be,” she explained. Lamphier also remarked on the challenges around registering through Global Affairs Canada.
“We registered, and it took me about 10 minutes for it to submit, and then my cousin went to register about 10 minutes later, and I don’t think hers got through. I’ve heard lots of people saying that the website isn’t loading the final submission form.”
Anad said on Monday that all Canadians in Mexico should register through Global Affairs Canada to ensure they can receive assistance and updated information from the federal government.
However, she acknowledged there have been “kinks” in the system, but she says it is now fully functional.
Meanwhile, Lamphier says morale remains high among the vacationers.
“Yesterday, the fact that people were at the pool and doing water aerobics felt very strange, but it normalized things,” Lamphier said.
Videos circulating on social media showed plumes of smoke billowing over the tourist city of Puerto Vallarta in Jalisco, and people sprinting through the airport of the state’s capital in panic.
On Sunday afternoon, Air Canada announced it was suspending flights to Puerto Vallarta “due to an ongoing security situation” and advised customers not to go to their airport.
Calgary-based WestJet says it has diverted seven flights en route to Puerto Vallarta and cancelled 37 flights to and from the city, as well as nearby Guadalajara and Manzanillo.
“As conditions evolve, additional cancellations may be required to ensure the safety of everyone,” the statement read.
Additionally, Flair, Air Transat, and Porter Airlines have all cancelled or diverted flights to the area.
Calgary Airports says it’s aware of current flight cancellations to western Mexico, adding passengers should check with their airlines for more information on their flights.
Meanwhile, everyone in Puerto Vallarta is asked to shelter in place. All taxi and rideshare services have been suspended.
The advisory also says that anyone in Jalisco should “keep a low profile,” monitor local and international media to keep informed about the “rapidly evolving situation,” and follow all advice from local authorities, including shelter-in-place orders.
Canadians in all parts of Mexico — not just Jalisco State — should be aware of advisories in place.
Additionally, several other tourist destinations such as Cancun, Cozumel, and Mexico City are under an advisory due to “high levels of criminal activity and kidnapping.”
It’s not yet clear if there are any injuries from the violence.
With files from The Canadian Press, Noah Laycock, and Andrea Montgomery