Canadians stranded in Puerto Vallarta amid escalating violence in Mexico’s Jalisco state say while they’re feeling calm locked down in their hotels, the surrounding area looks like a “war zone.”
A shelter in place order has been issued in the city, with the state’s governor saying federal forces carried out an operation in Tapalpa early Sunday morning, leading to clashes in the area.
“People are mostly calm and just staying tight and sort of maybe a bit quieter than usual and trying to figure out what’s really going on,” said Jeff Willis, a man from Manitoba currently staying in Puerto Vallarta. “But behind our unit, you can see multiple, multiple areas of smoke and it looks like a war zone.”
Willis said he is staying in the city near the marina, about 10 minutes from the airport which has been shut down.
He told Global News he was notified by WestJet that his flight was cancelled.
Jalisco state Gov. Pablo Lemus Navarro said in a post on social media a few hours after the reported operation that he had given the order to activate a code red.
He said vehicles have been burned and blocked in some places to hinder the actions of authorities.
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Global Affairs Canada issued a notice on its travel advisory page for Mexico on Sunday, warning of violence and roadblocks in the country’s southwestern region.
“Criminal groups have set up roadblocks with burning vehicles in southwestern Mexico,” the notice said. “There have been shootouts with security forces and explosions.”
The agency said the roadblocks are “especially” found in Jalisco State, including Puerto Vallarta; Guerrero State, including Acapulco, and Michoacan State.
The smell from the fires has been noticeable, but Global BC producer Joan Marshall said in an interview from a condo near the city’s marina there were also “weird” sounds.
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“You hear sirens quite a bit because there’s a hospital nearby, but there were some really weird car racing sounds, now that I think back, and there were a lot of sirens after that,” Marshall said. “Then I got up and looked out and I thought, ‘What is that haze in the air?’ and it turned out walking outside it was smoke from all the fires and you could smell this really acrid smell.”
Steve Mossop said he’s also stranded in Puerto Vallarta, and though he told Global News he feels safe in his hotel, he added it’s an “eerie” situation.
“There’s thick smoke lingering in the air, and it’s a bit of an eerie feeling given the tourist city that (Puerto Vallarta) is,” said Mossop, who is visiting from Vancouver.
He said he’s been in the city for the past week and a half, but now he’s not sure when they’ll get out given flights have been cancelled.
While some Canadians say they, overall, feel safe Melissa Godbout from Chilliwack, B.C. said she’s feeling “unsettled.”
“I’m starting to feel a little bit anxious, definitely very unsettled, I’m here with my kids, my whole family,” she told Global BC. “What’s really kind of alarming is that the resort seems to be carrying on like normal. It’s largely Mexican nationals staying here and they’re still carrying on swimming in the pool, playing ping pong, like it’s another day. On one hand it seems safe, but on the other hand definitely not at all.”
WestJet, Porter Airlines, Air Canada and Air Transat have all confirmed to Global News that flights to and from Puerto Vallarta on Sunday have been cancelled. WestJet says it has also cancelled 24 added flights to the city, as well as Guadalajara and Manzanillo.
Jalisco New Generation Cartel leader killed in military operation
According to the Mexican embassy in the U.S., the military operation on Sunday was conducted to achieve the arrest of Ruben “N,” also known as Nemesio Ruben Oseguera Cervantes or “El Mencho,” the leader of the Jalisco New Generation Cartel.
Officials say during the operation, military personnel were attacked and they responded. As a result, four members of the cartel died at the scene and three others were severely wounded. Officials said they died during an airlift to Mexico City.
“Among the latter is Ruben ‘N’ (alias Mencho); however, the corresponding authorities will be in charge of the forensic activities to confirm his identification,” the embassy wrote on X.
Those who were travelling to the airport were greeted by some unexpected sights.
Randy Schmautz, a Vancouver man who lives part-time in Puerto Vallarta and is a private driver in the city, said he saw spikes thrown on the roads as he drove some people to the airport.
“I did make it there and back without a flat, I was quite happy about that,” he told Global News. “It’s eerie, it’s scary.”
He said in an interview Sunday that restaurants and stores were all closed, adding he’d never seen a situation like this in Puerto Vallarta.
“Not this one, never here,” he said.
People in the state are being urged by the Canadian government to keep a low profile, follow the advice of local authorities, and monitor local and international media to stay informed, Global Affairs Canada says.
—with files from Global News’ Angela Jung, Hersh Singh and Jordan Armstrong, and The Associated Press
Like you guys havent been to downtown Winnipeg before?
I had a great time there. There are lots of homeless young boys who will do anything to you for a dollar.
This is why I actively avoid 3rd world countries.
Let’s all pay to see poor people and drug cartels. But hey, it’s warm, right
Bahaha that’s a lot of lame Canadians with stupid braids, puerto Vallarta shirts, sunburns and zero lack of Spanish getting drunk in resorts and playing in their phones crying and whining . Meanwhile mountain biking and dirtbiking are kicking ass here in Arizona . Sure is nice leaving Canada in the winters and the lack of embarrassing liberal here now makes it’s even better .
Trump has to save them
Mexico is disgusting as are their people. We have too many of them up here too. As well as the Chinese.
Why do canadians have to be so dramatic. Would love for Mr. Winnipeg simpleton to see what a war zone actually looks like.
Still safer than the dumpster fire called America.
I also love penis
west side has always been the worst side
We just watched a Seal Team episode that sounds almost like Puerto Vallarta at present. Stay safe!
I am a Canadian living in El Tuito about an hour south of Vallarta. The cartel havd burned 2 banks here and both of our Oxxo stores. I live 60’ from a stadium and basketball court and there was automatic weapons gunfire fir about an hour from 11:30 to 12:30
Obviously I did not go out into my yard to avoid stray bullets.
A friend and I and all my animals holed up in the house. The town is totally closed and quiet. Not a sound except the odd chicken
Like everything else in life it will blow over but to be so close to tte gunfire was surreal.
Even my dogs were frightened
The cartels are getting frustrated and desperate due to Trump’s crack down on drug and human traffickers south of his border.
I hope the elbows up crowd that did not want to go to the USA are stuck in their rooms. Looks good on you.
Hope the elbows up boomers are enjoying their “We’re boycotting the US” vacations. But you know they’re going to be the first to start screaming for the Americans to save them.
An excellent reason to enjoy a staycation in Canada. Try Vancouver island in the winter; wonderful. Or dress warmly and enjoy our Nat’l Parks; less crowded in the winter!
This is where the Mexican military and Mexican police need to make like El Salvador and start hunting organized crime. Due process is too slow in this situation.
been there a couple weeks ago, crazy what’s going on now, hope people there get out safe
solved ..Canada is sending Carney down to sign a trade deal with the Cartel..
This is the country skid Mark would rather do business with