Mexico violence sparks travel warnings and flight cancellations, leaving thousands of Canadians stranded

Mexican cartel force cancels flights, locks land Puerto Vallarta

top out cartel boss killed as violence engulfs Puerto Vallarta and several states, Mexico says

Fires burn across the skyline in Mexico's Puerto Vallarta

Vehicles torched in Mexico's Jalisco after federal operation kills cartel boss

Situation in Puerto Vallarta ‘volatile,’ says Canadian vacationing in Mexico

Mexican social media influencers getting caught in cartel violence

Good morning. I'm a senior writer with the digital desk and I'm here to help catch you up on the latest in Mexico. 

Yesterday, one of Mexico's most notorious drug lords, Nemesio Oseguera Cervantes, or "El Mencho," was killed in a military raid. 

His death promptly sparked widespread retaliatory violence. 

After reports of the 60-year-old leader's death, cartel henchmen blockaded highways with burning cars and torched businesses in more than a half ⁠a dozen states, paralyzing parts of ⁠the country, reports The Associated Press.

So far, no civilian deaths have been reported.

"El Mencho" was known to be the mastermind of a powerful group — the Jalisco New Generation Cartel.

In Jalisco's popular beach resort of Puerto ‌Vallarta, frightened tourists posted on social media, describing the area as a "war zone" as plumes of dark smoke rose into the sky from around the bay. 

Multiple airlines have since suspended flights in the area.

Here's what we know as of early Monday morning:

The Canadian government is now advising people to exercise a high degree of caution if they are in Mexico. Airlines are cancelling flights, and thousands of Canadians are stranded.

Canadians in Mexico are being told to avoid all non-essential travel to numerous states "due to high levels of violence and organized crime," with Global Affairs Canada warning the security situation "could deteriorate rapidly" across the country.

Shelter-in-place orders remain in effect in Jalisco and Nayarit. Global Affairs is warning similar instructions, including curfews, may be issued on short notice in other areas.

Canadians in Mexico are being urged to keep a low profile, follow the advice of local authorities and keep an eye on the news, since the situation is rapidly evolving.

Authorities in Jalisco, Michoacan and Guanajuato reported at least 14 other people killed Sunday, including seven National Guard troops.

Air Canada said in a social media post that its flights to and from Puerto Vallarta on Monday have been cancelled.

“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,” the post read.

Some signs of calm are returning to Jalisco.

The state said in a statement that its public transportation systems were being gradually reactivated starting at 3 p.m. Local time, and the system will be fully reactivated in the coming hours.

All is not back to normal, however. The education ministry will suspend in-person classes Monday for grade school and post-secondary institutions.

State officials say 25 people have been arrested — 11 for alleged participation in violent acts and 14 more for alleged acts of looting or pillaging.

The Mexican Federal Civil Aviation Agency says airports in Guadalajara, Puerto Vallarta and Tepic “continue to operate normally,” despite airlines diverting their flights.

The agency says it is continuing to collaborate with security agencies to guarantee safety and is in “constant communication” with officials to provide updates on airport status.

Grupo Aeroportuario del Pacífico, which runs the Puerto Vallarta airport, says the facility is under the protection of the National Guard and the Ministry of National Defence.

“However, by decision of the airlines, today … all international operations and most domestic flights are cancelled,” it said in a statement.

Air Canada and WestJet were among the airlines that diverted flights. WestJet said earlier Sunday it had diverted seven flights enroute to Puerto Vallarta and cancelled 24 additional flights to and from Puerto Vallarta, Guadalajara and Manzanillo.

Air Canada said it was temporarily suspending operations in Puerto Vallarta, and cancelled three flights to and three flights from Puerto Vallarta, affecting “just under 500 customers.”

Canadian airlines are warning passengers that their flights could be affected over the next few days because of the situation in Puerto Vallarta.

The airlines had suspended their flights today, with some planes heading from Canada to Puerto Vallarta turning around mid-flight.

Air Canada put out flight advisories for Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday, saying that flights to Puerto Vallarta may be impacted by security. If a passenger’s flight is affected, the airline said they can retrieve their booking online and to change their flight without charge.

Porter Airlines said its passengers are currently being offered complimentary flight changes through Feb. 25.

Military helicopter flies low over Puerto Vallarta

Witnesses say helicopters flying above Puerto Vallarta, Mexico, have been doing low passes near hotels, the cruise ship terminal and over the road to the airport.

I spoke with Artur Wilczynski, who is staying in a hotel in Puerto Vallarta. He's been sharing videos of military helicopters flying low over the city.

He told me he was supposed to return to Canada today. That's been rescheduled to Wednesday but he says he doesn't know what will happen.

Witnesses say helicopters flying above Puerto Vallarta, Mexico, have been doing low passes near hotels, the cruise ship terminal and over the road to the airport.

The escalating violence in Puerto Vallarta came as a surprise to Calgarian Jennifer Kirby.

She said she hasn’t been monitoring the news since being on vacation. That is, until a hotel worker showed her videos of fires in the region.

“I immediately thought they were just wildfires,” she said.

Kirby said her flight back home was cancelled and that she is sheltering in place at her hotel, just “walking distance” from the Puerto Vallarta airport.

“I always figured that Puerto Vallarta was safe,” she said. “I guess always be prepared for the unexpected.”

Situation in Puerto Vallarta ‘volatile,’ says Canadian vacationing in Mexico

Tensions and violence have erupted in several states across Mexico after a top cartel boss died following a clash with special forces operatives. Owen Duffy, a Canadian vacationing in Puerto Vallarta, describes the scene from the city. 

“About six or seven guys showed up on motorcycles. They came up to a bus that had been parked there for more than two hours, went on, lit up some Molotov cocktails and set the bus on fire,” he said.

Duffy, who said he’s come to Puerto Vallarta almost every year since 1987, said he feels secure at the moment but worries about how things will play out.

“What I’m more concerned about is what’s going to happen as darkness falls tonight, to see if it gets worse than it is now,” he said.

Puerto Vallarta is famous for being a welcoming destination to the 2SLGBTQ+ community, especially for gay men.

Yogi Omar — a queer Vancouverite who’s visiting for his birthday — describes it as “a little slice of heaven.” While it’s known for its party scene, the area is rich in culture and art, and there’s something for everyone, he says.

“There's not so many places that we can just exist authentically,” he says. “I can just be. I don't have to explain, I don't have to justify.”

That said, today’s violence has shaken that sense of safety.

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