26K Canadians in Mexico as cartel violence hits Puerto Vallarta: minister – National

• Are you a Canadian in Puerto Vallarta right now? Reach out to us at shareyourstory@globalnews.ca with information on what you are experiencing and how we can get in touch with you.

There are currently more than 26,000 Canadians registered in Mexico as cartel violence hits the popular tourist area of Puerto Vallarta — and no plans for military or consular flights to assist Canadians getting out, Foreign Affairs Minister Anita Anand said.

Anand said the federal government is working on plans to “assist,” but did not share further details and said Mexican authorities have told her that they expect the situation to “normalize.”

“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 Monday.

As of 7 a.m. eastern on Monday, 26,305 Canadians in Mexico have registered with Global Affairs Canada, Anand said. This number is an increase of around 8,000 compared to 24 hours ago, signalling Canadians registering with GAC “in the thousands” as cartel violence escalates in Mexico’s Jalisco state.

Since registration is voluntary, Anand said the actual number of Canadians in Mexico is expected to be higher.

Canadians are being urged to register with GAC, either by calling register 613-996-8885-SOS or at international.gc.ca.

In the last 24 hours, Canada’s Emergency Watch and Response Centre has received 440 calls from Canadians who are seeking information about flights and travel advisories, Anand said.

Two of the calls for consular support “relate to Canadians who have non-life-threatening injuries,” Anand said, but added it wasn’t clear whether these injuries were a result of cartel violence.

Canadians in Puerto Vallarta are being asked to “shelter in place” after violence erupted in the seaside Mexican town over the killing of cartel leader and drug lord Nemesio Oseguera, better known as “El Mencho,” in a military raid on Sunday.

“Criminal groups have set up roadblocks with burning vehicles in several cities in various parts of Mexico. There have been shootouts with security forces and explosions, including on roads and highways connecting affected areas to Mexico City,” Global Affairs Canada said in a safety alert.

Get daily National news

Get the day’s top news, political, economic, and current affairs headlines, delivered to your inbox once a day.

GAC has warned of security incidents in several Mexican states, including Jalisco, where Puerto Vallarta and Guadalajara are located.

In addition to Jalisco, security alerts were issued for Guerrero, Michoacán, Sinaloa, Quintana Roo, Baja California and Nayarit.

“Shelter in place” orders are in effect in Jalisco and Nayarit. Similar instructions, including curfews, may be issued on short notice in other areas of the country, GAC warned.

Air Canada said it had cancelled six flights connecting Puerto Vallarta to three Canadian destinations, Toronto, Montreal and Vancouver. This includes three flights to and three flights from Puerto Vallarta, affecting just under 500 passengers each way, the airline said.

“We are monitoring the situation and are working to bring our customers back as soon as it is safe to do so. We will share more information as soon as possible,” Air Canada said in a statement.

WestJet said it has diverted seven flights en route to Puerto Vallarta and cancelled 24 additional flights to and from Puerto Vallarta, Guadalajara and Manzanillo, while Porter said it has cancelled it cancelled two round-trip flights from Ottawa and Toronto.

Daniel Drolet, a Canadian who has wintered in Puerto Vallarta for years, said in a phone interview with Reuters that he was concerned about a new era of violence taking root in the typically placid resort zone.

“I have never seen anything like this before,” he said.

1:35
Mexican drug lord ‘El Mencho’ killed in military operation

Within hours of the killing of Oseguera, gunmen suspected to be his supporters blocked highways across several states and set cars and businesses ablaze.

In some towns, tourists and residents were urged to stay indoors, while truckers were advised to take safe routes or return to their depots until the violence abated.

The burst of violence across more than half a dozen states painted a familiar scene for Mexicans who have spent two decades watching successive governments wage war on drug cartels, ravaging broad swaths of the country.

A member of Oseguera’s Jalisco New Generation Cartel told Reuters that the blazes and sporadic gunfire were carried out in revenge for the government’s killing of Oseguera, and warned of further bloodshed as groups move to take control of his cartel.

“The attacks were carried out in revenge for the leader’s death, at first against the government and out of discontent,” the person said, speaking on condition of anonymity.

“But later the internal killings are coming, by the groups moving in to take over.”

In the state of Jalisco, authorities reported that gunmen had attacked a base for the National Guard military police and recommended guests remain inside hotels and suspended public transit.

— With files from Reuters

Are you a Canadian in Puerto Vallarta right now? Reach out to us using the contact form below or at shareyourstory@globalnews.ca with your experience and how we can get in touch with you.

&copy 2026 Global News, a division of Corus Entertainment Inc.