Canadians in Mexico are being urged to register with Global Affairs Canada.
This comes amid growing violence following the death of Mexican cartel leader Nemesio Rubén “El Mencho” Oseguera Cervantes on Sunday. Cervantes has been reported as the leader of the Jalisco New Generation Cartel.
Canadians in areas like Puerto Vallarta are advised to shelter in place, maintain a low profile, monitor local and international media to stay informed and follow the advice of local authorities.
Puerto Vallarta is one of several cities in Jalisco State, where officials say groups have set up roadblocks with burning vehicles. Shootouts and explosions have also been reported following the cartel leader’s death on Sunday.
The federal government has issued a travel notice, saying incidents of violence have been reported in several areas of Mexico, including in:
- Jalisco, including Guadalajara and Puerto Vallarta
- Guerrero, including Acapulco
- Michoacán
- Sinaloa, including Mazatlán
- Quintana Roo, including Cancun
- Baja California, including Tijuana and Tecate
- Nayarit
Additional safety tips and updates are available through the federal government website.
Lethbridge’s Member of Parliament, Rachael Thomas, issued a notice on social media, urging Canadians in Jalisco state to register with Global Affairs Canada.
“Registering will allow you to receive updates from Global Affairs during this evolving situation,” she writes.
Canadians can register through the federal government website, however, officials say due to a high volume of requests, the system is operating slower than normal.
Federal Foreign Affairs Minister Anita Anand says as of Monday, over 26,000 Canadians in Mexico have registered.
Thomas adds that the Emergency Watch and Response Centre in Ottawa is available 24 hours a day, seven days a week and can be contacted by the following:
- By calling: 1 613-996-8885
- By texting: 1 613-686-3658
- By messaging WhatsApp: 1 613-909-8881
- By emailing sos@international.gc.ca
