Canadians in Mexican state advised to remain indoors as violence breaks out

Canadians in Puerto Vallarta, Mexico, are being ordered to shelter-in-place as violence escalates in the region following the death of a cartel leader called “El Mencho.”

Dennis McKaig was woken up by chaos in Mexico this morning.

“I woke up to banging and I thought it was construction. It was explosions,” said McKaig.

McKaig is from Ontario but rents an apartment every winter in Puerto Vallarta. He witnessed a lot of the action from his balcony.

“Right now I’m looking off my balcony, I’m seeing four vehicles burned out by looking to the left. If I look to the right there’s a barricade,” said McKaig.

Mexican government officials are warning residents that Jalisco state, including popular tourist destination Puerto Vallarta, is not safe for travel at the moment.

Global Affairs Canada issued a warning to people in the area that criminal groups have set up roadblocks with burning vehicles throughout the state.

The agency says there are just under 19,000 Canadians in Mexico at the moment, including nearly 5,000 in Jalisco.

In a post on X, Foreign Affairs Minister Anita Anand says the Canadian government is aware of the developing situation and is monitoring it.

Please see my statement on the security situation in Jalisco State, Mexico: pic.twitter.com/ptPbYyrhzw

— Anita Anand (@AnitaAnandMP) February 22, 2026

Earlier today, the Mexican drug lord Nemesio Oseguera, commonly known as El Mencho, was killed in a military operation.

The cartel is retaliating.

“They firebombed that. There was another one a block away they firebombed. They looted the major drug store. And the guys in black masks and clothes were running down the street with bags over their shoulders telling people to go home. Get off the street. Go home,” said McKaig.

There are unconfirmed reports that the cartel has attacked the prison in Puerto Vallarta, triggering a prison break. There have been shootouts with security forces and several explosions.

The Puerto Vallarta airport is shutdown. WestJet, Air Canada, Flair, Air Transat and Porter Airlines have all cancelled or diverted flights to the area.

In a statement, WestJet said they have diverted seven flights en route to Puerto Vallarta and cancelled 24 flights to and from the city, as well as nearby Guadalajara and Manzanillo.

A shelter-in-place order is in effect in Puerto Vallarta. All taxi and rideshare services are suspended until further notice.

People in southwestern Mexico are being told to “keep a low profile” and if they’re in a resort, to stay in their rooms away from windows.

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