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Global Affairs Canada has expanded its warnings for Canadians in Mexico.

Its latest travel advisory states that criminal groups have set up roadblocks with burning vehicles in several cities in southwestern Mexico, especially in the areas of Jalisco state (including Puerto Vallarta), Guerrero state (including Acapulco) and Michoacan state.

The advisory says there have been explosions and shootouts with security forces, and notes significant disruptions to travel and transportation. A shelter in place order remains in effect in Puerto Vallarta, where all taxi and rideshare services are suspended until further notice.

GAC is advising Canadians to avoid all non-essential travel in many parts of Mexico, and to exercise a high degree of caution throughout the country.

"I'm starting to get quite concerned," he said.

Lorenzo Dufrane said when he checked out of his hotel and got into Uber, they had to keep turning all these corners because in the distance they could see cars and buses on fire.

He said he could see men on motorcycles armed with machine guns as he tried to get to the airport.

The Uber driver "was like, 'No. Everything is shut down. The airport is shut down. We can't drive you there,'" Dufrane said. He later added he was sheltering inside a restaurant with about 11 other people, mostly locals.

Michael Blashko said every guest at the Airbnb he's staying at is in their rooms.

"Heard sporadic gunfire throughout the day," he said. "Just lots of confusion. Lots of guests who realized they didn't have any food in their rooms or anything."

Hi, this is Annabelle Olivier. I am a reporter following this story from Montreal.

Puerto Vallarta is a popular vacation destination for Quebec snowbirds like Édith Labbé.

When Radio-Canada reached her today, she was under lockdown at the local Costco.

"I deemed it was a safe place to take refuge when I saw I couldn’t head back home," she said.

Labbé had been watching the Canada-USA gold medal game in a sports bar when the manager warned of dramatic events unfolding in the city, with cars, taxis and buses being blown up. He said he was considering shutting down the bar and that people should think of getting back home.

That's how Labbé ended up in a Costco, where several shoppers and workers huddled. For about an hour she said loud detonations could be heard outside, before things calmed down. Labbé said they're hearing that civilians aren't being targeted and she's hopeful that she'll be able to return home to Canada as planned on Thursday.

He was telling me he’s there often. This is a very popular destination among Yukoners, especially at this time of year when we’re hitting -30 temperatures.

But this is the first time he’s experienced anything like this.

Phillips told me he was watching the Olympic gold medal hockey game at a little restaurant this morning, near Marina Puerto Vallarta, when he saw a big pillar of smoke rising on the far side of the marina.

Phillips said when he got back to his hotel, staff were in a bit of a panic. The hotel is now locked down.

He said he can see from his balcony over 15 fires in downtown Puerto Vallarta and the surrounding area.

Phillips said at this point, he’s just waiting to get more information because it’s hard to plan anything — when to check out, or even how to get to the airport if the roads are blocked with burning cars.

He was supposed to leave tomorrow, but his flight has been cancelled. He says right now, "we're kind of in no man's land."

Ottawa's Elaine Tanguay-Lalonde has been staying in a condo near downtown Puerto Vallarta and says she woke up Sunday morning to a state of calamity.

"There were cars on fire, a lot of smoke, gunshots, people going [around] on motorbikes with full face [coverings]," she said.

"It's quieted down a bit right now, but we don't know what to expect, and we're waiting for the authorities to tell us what to do next. Right now we're staying in the condo and not going out."

The U.S. Had offered a $15 million reward for information leading to the arrest of Nemesio Rubén Oseguera Cervantes, also known as "El Mencho."

The powerful drug lord, who headed up the Jalisco New Generation Cartel (CJNG), had been accused of heavy involvement in drug trafficking since the 1990s, according to The Associated Press.

A former police officer, he was convicted in 1994 of conspiracy to distribute heroin in California and served nearly three years in prison there before being deported to Mexico.

Back in Mexico, he reportedly continued trafficking drugs. Since 2017, Oseguera has been indicted several times in the U.S. For trafficking related offences, The Associated Press reported.

Hi, My name is Georgie Smyth. I'm a reporter following this story from Vancouver.

I just spoke to Leigh Carter from Courtenay, B.C. She says she's staying at a friend's house in Zona Romántica in Puerto Vallarta. They were about to leave the house at about 9 a.m. When they heard "loud booms and also what sounded like gunshots." They're sheltering in place.

She says the sky to the east was filled with toxic black smoke from burning vehicles.

The Jalisco New Generation Cartel, known as CJNG, formed in 2009 and is one of the most powerful and fastest-growing criminal organizations in Mexico.

According to reporting by The Associated Press, the Jalisco cartel is a pioneer in launching explosives from drones and installing mines, and has been aggressive in its attacks on the military.

In 2020 in Mexico City, the cartel used grenades and high-powered rifles in a bold attempt to assassinate the then-head of the capital city’s police force.

The U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration says CJNG is as powerful as the Sinaloa cartel, one of Mexico’s most infamous criminal groups. It’s also one of the main suppliers of cocaine to the U.S., and earns billions producing fentanyl and methamphetamines.

The Trump administration designated CJNG as a foreign terrorist organization in February.

According to a statement by Mexico’s Secretariat of National Defense, the operation was planned and executed by special forces of the Mexican army.

The release, posted on the Mexican embassy in the U.S. X account, said that during the operation, Mexican military personnel were attacked, "and in defense of their physical integrity, they repelled the aggression."

It said that four members of the Jalisco New Generation Cartel were killed at the scene, while three others, who were severely wounded, lost their lives during their airlift to Mexico City. That included Mexican drug lord "El ​Mencho."

As well, two other members of the cartel were arrested, and various weapons and armoured vehicles were seized, including rocket launchers capable of shooting down aircraft and destroying armoured vehicles, the release said.

The release added that "complementary information was provided by U.S. Authorities" to help in the operation.

Global Affairs says 4,672 Canadians are currently registered as being in Jalisco state, and 18,703 are registered as being in Mexico, according to its registration of Canadians abroad system.

Registration is voluntary, so the numbers are only an estimate.

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