More than 26,000 Canadians are currently registered in Mexico as cartel violence escalates in the popular tourist destination of Puerto Vallarta, with no immediate plans for government-assisted departures, Foreign Affairs Minister Anita Anand said Monday.
Anand stated the federal government is developing plans to “assist” Canadians, but provided no specifics, adding that Mexican authorities anticipate the situation will “normalize” in the coming days. “I am in contact with my Mexican counterpart, who expects the situation to normalize in the coming days. Our ambassador and consular staff are working with their counterparts to ensure that Canadians remain safe,” Anand told reporters in Ottawa.
As of 7 a.m. Eastern time Monday, 26,305 Canadians had registered with Global Affairs Canada, an increase of approximately 8,000 from the previous day, signaling a surge in registrations as violence intensifies in Mexico’s Jalisco state. Anand noted that registration is voluntary, suggesting the actual number of Canadians in Mexico is likely higher.
Canadians are being urged to register with Global Affairs Canada by calling 613-996-8885-SOS or visiting international.gc.ca. The Emergency Watch and Response Centre has received 440 calls in the last 24 hours from Canadians seeking information about flights and travel advisories. Two of the calls were for consular support related to Canadians with non-life-threatening injuries, though it remains unclear if these injuries were a direct result of the cartel violence.
Canadians Told to ‘Shelter in Place’
Canadians in Puerto Vallarta are being advised to “shelter in place” following the outbreak of violence triggered by the death of Nemesio Oseguera, known as “El Mencho,” a prominent cartel leader, during a military raid on Sunday.
Global Affairs Canada issued a safety alert warning of roadblocks set up by criminal groups using burning vehicles in several cities across Mexico, along with reports of shootouts with security forces and explosions on roads connecting affected areas to Mexico City.
Security alerts have been issued for several Mexican states, including Jalisco (where Puerto Vallarta and Guadalajara are located), Guerrero, Michoacán, Sinaloa, Quintana Roo, Baja California, and Nayarit. Shelter-in-place orders are currently in effect in Jalisco and Nayarit, with the possibility of similar orders, including curfews, being issued with little notice in other areas.
Multiple Canadian airlines have cancelled flights to and from Puerto Vallarta. Air Canada has cancelled six flights connecting Puerto Vallarta to Toronto, Montreal, and Vancouver, impacting nearly 500 passengers in each direction. WestJet has diverted seven flights and cancelled 24 additional flights to and from Puerto Vallarta, Guadalajara, and Manzanillo. Porter Airlines has cancelled two round-trip flights from Ottawa and Toronto.
Daniel Drolet, a Canadian who spends winters in Puerto Vallarta, described his concern about a potential shift towards increased violence in the typically peaceful resort area in an interview with Reuters. “I have never seen anything like this before,” he said.
The violence erupted in the wake of Oseguera’s death, with suspected cartel supporters blocking highways and setting vehicles and businesses ablaze across multiple states. Authorities in Jalisco reported an attack on a National Guard base and recommended that hotel guests remain indoors, while also suspending public transportation.
‘Cartel Has Now Been Beheaded’
Alejandro Garcia Magos, a political science professor at the University of Toronto, suggested the flare-up of violence was a “message” from the cartel to assert control over its territory. However, he anticipates the situation will improve in the near future.
“There’s going to be violence. There’s going to be a reorganization of the cartel. But this is a major blow for this criminal organization. It will fracture. It will be demoralized. And eventually it will become less of a public threat,” Magos said.
He characterized the government’s operation to eliminate Oseguera as a significant success for Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum, demonstrating her willingness to take decisive action. “The cartel now has been beheaded,” Magos stated, adding that Oseguera was a brutal leader with a long history of criminal activity and establishing the cartel.
— With files from Reuters
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