Canadians in Mexico are being advised to restrict their actions and shelter in place after violence erupted Thursday within the nation’s northwest following the arrest of a infamous suspected cartel chief and drug trafficker.
The federal authorities’s up to date journey advisory for the nation notes “widespread violence and safety operations” in Sinaloa state, notably in Culiacan, Mazatlan, Los Mochis and Guasave.
The advisory says the Culiacan and Mazatlan airports are closed and all flights at Los Mochis airport have been suspended till additional discover. Burning automobiles, gunfire and threats to important infrastructure had been reported within the affected areas, officers added.
In a press release to International Information, International Affairs Canada stated it’s “conscious of Canadians affected by these occasions” and is offering consular companies.
The violence was sparked after Mexican safety forces arrested Ovidio Guzman, a son of jailed Sinaloa cartel boss Joaquin “El Chapo” Guzman, in a pre-dawn raid.
Learn extra:
Son of ‘El Chapo’ was captured a second time after shootout with Mexican police
Learn extra
-
![]()
Son of ‘El Chapo’ was captured a second time after shootout with Mexican police
Officers stated Thursday that Ovidio Guzman was concerned in the entire cartel’s actions, notably the manufacturing of fentanyl that flowed to the US. The cartel is without doubt one of the world’s strongest drug trafficking organizations.
Suspected cartel members responded to Thursday’s operation by hacking Culiacan residents and setting hearth to automobiles within the cartel stronghold. Native and state authorities have warned everybody to remain indoors.
Movies shared on social media, which weren’t independently verified by International Information, appeared to point out heavy combating in a single day in Culiacan with the sky lit up by helicopter hearth.
Airline Aeromexico stated in a press release that considered one of its jets was hit by a bullet Thursday morning because it ready for takeoff. Passenger video posted on-line reveals folks cowering on the ground of the airplane. The corporate stated passengers and crew had been secure.
Later, Mexico’s Civil Aviation Company stated in a press release that an air pressure airplane in Culiacan was additionally hit by gunfire. Along with the Culiacan airport, the company stated that airports in Los Mochis and Mazatlan had been additionally closed and all flights had been canceled for safety causes.
Ottawa’s journey advisory says Canadians in Sinaloa ought to keep put if attainable and “keep away from areas the place protests and huge gatherings are going down,” and to not cross roadblocks arrange by legislation enforcement or gang members.
Nineteen roadblocks had been arrange by the cartel in an unsuccessful try to stop authorities from flying Guzman to Mexico Metropolis, the place he stays in custody.
This submitted picture by Canadian traveler Mark Lockhart reveals automobiles on hearth in Mazatlan, Mexico, as violence erupts throughout Sinaloa state following the arrest of suspected cartel boss and drug trafficker Ovidio Guzman on January 5, 2023.
Mark Lockhart / Submitted to International Information
This submitted picture by Canadian traveler Mark Lockhart reveals automobiles on hearth in Mazatlan, Mexico, as violence erupts throughout Sinaloa state following the arrest of suspected cartel boss and drug trafficker Ovidio Guzman on January 5, 2023.
Mark Lockhart / Submitted to International Information
A prolonged journey advisory for Mexico urges Canadians to “train a excessive diploma of warning” within the nation “because of excessive ranges of felony exercise and kidnapping.”
The native authorities in Sinaloa urged folks to remain indoors and stated faculties and administrative places of work had been closed due to the violence. The US State Division has additionally suggested People to not journey to the area.
International Affairs Canada stated in its assertion that 12,387 Canadians in Mexico are registered with the company’s database, which it advises vacationers and everlasting residents to affix to remain abreast of developments and entry consular companies.
A spokesperson famous that the quantity “shouldn’t be an entire image of the variety of Canadians in Mexico,” as registration is voluntary.
Donna Arellano advised International Information that she, her husband and two mates “really feel fairly secure proper now” of their Mazatlan lodge regardless of the violence, which led to the cancellation of some deliberate excursions Wednesday evening and Thursday.
“They advised us what is going on on with the drug cartels, (however) we’re probably not afraid,” stated the resident of Chilliwack.
Different Canadians who emailed or texted International Information stated they had been additionally not in peril, however heard concerning the violence taking place close by and had been advised to remain inside. With roadblocks in place and companies advised to shut, one traveler stated Mazatlan was “a ghost city”.
The Canadian Press spoke to at least one Canadian whose six members of the family had been in a really completely different state of affairs, saying they had been trapped in a Mazatlan lodge as buses that had been imagined to take them to the airport caught hearth outdoors.
“It is simply chaos,” stated Tina Dahl of Edmonton. Her brother, sister-in-law, their three kids aged 10, eight and 7, and her sister-in-law’s mom had been imagined to fly out on Thursday night.
“There was a shootout on the airport so the airports had been closed and the cartel put their fighters outdoors the lodge. I solely know that my brother and his household are caught within the lodge for the time being.”
Dahl had no telephone line by to the lodge, she stated, however she was in a position to talk together with her household by Fb.
“Appears like they’re all superb,” she stated. “(They had been) clearly shaken. Simply from studying between the strains of the texts and such, they’re fairly shaken.”
“I am certain my brother most likely had (the children) on the pool, attempting to maintain them not (centered) on it,” Dahl stated.
Dahl quoted from a word written by her sister-in-law: “When it first occurred, they stated ‘we’ll attempt to get you on a flight at 2 o’clock tomorrow’.”
“I do not suppose they may fly dwelling tomorrow. The gates are closed, the airports are closed and they’re burning Mazatlan metropolis.
“The foyer is full of people that had been imagined to fly out and if they are not out by 5pm, they kick them out. These folks can’t exit into the streets when there are buses on hearth in entrance and the cartel is there.”
Carroll Ganam, one other Canadian at the moment in Mexico together with her husband, visits virtually yearly and has by no means seen something like this occur.
“We come virtually yearly. We now have for a few years and positively by no means had something like this occur,” she stated.
“All of the shops had been closed, so I feel the entire metropolis is principally, you realize, closed and till they get this case resolved.”
On the resort the place Ganam is staying, she feels “immune” to the battle.
“It’s extremely simple to dwell on this little island of luxurious within the resort, however you clearly do not wish to stroll very far outdoors,” she stated.
– with information from International’s Elizabeth McSheffrey, Hann The Canadian Press and Reuters
