Canada deploys staff to help 26,000 Canadians in Mexico as violence continues

Anand said the government is monitoring what she called a serious and rapidly evolving situation in Mexico. Violence broke out in multiple regions of the country on Sunday after the death of the notorious leader of the Jalisco New Generation Cartel, who was reportedly killed in a government operation.

Mexican officials said Monday that at least 73 people died in an attempt by special forces to capture Nemesio Ruben Oseguera Cervantes, known as “El Mencho.” The dead included security forces, suspected cartel members and others.

Cars burned out by cartel members blocked roads at more than 250 points in 20 Mexican states, including in Puerto Vallarta, and sent smoke billowing into the air.

Canadians stuck in Mexico told The Canadian Press they were sleeping on pieces of cardboard in the Puerto Vallarta airport, with one pizza restaurant selling food to stranded travellers.

Anand said all Canadians in Mexico should register with Global Affairs Canada to ensure they receive assistance and updated information from the federal government — and to avoid being deceived by misinformation circulating on social media.

Anand said as of 7 a.m. ET Monday, 26,305 Canadians in Mexico had registered with Global Affairs Canada, an increase of nearly 8,000 people over 24 hours.

She said two Canadians have asked for help with “injuries that are non-life-threatening.” She did not specify whether those injuries were related to the violence.

One Canadian is seeking financial assistance, she said. The federal government will sometimes offer loans to Canadian travellers who can’t access their funds or face unforeseen expenses.

A handful of people identifying themselves as Canadians in Mexico posted on social media Sunday that they were unable to register with Global Affairs Canada. Anand admitted there were problems with the system but insisted they have been resolved.

“With the surge in volume, there was initially technical difficulties. Those were resolved late in the day yesterday and allowed the registrations to continue unimpeded,” she said Monday.

“I want to vociferously underline that our system is working well, and where there are kinks, we are addressing them, and it is functioning well at this time.”

Anand and her department urged Canadians on Sunday to follow local advice but were not explicitly asking citizens in Mexico to register at the time — unlike several MPs, who said they were getting questions from constituents in areas under emergency orders.

Anand said officials briefed MPs about the situation Monday and she also emailed MPs late Sunday.

Canadian Ambassador to Mexico Cameron MacKay told CTV on Monday afternoon that the registration system had been intermittent on Sunday and Monday. He said resolving those issues is the top priority of the department’s information technology team.

MacKay also said international flights from cities like Puerto Vallarta might resume as early as Tuesday if the security situation allows.

Anand said Mexico’s foreign minister Juan Ramon de la Fuente told her he “expects the situation to normalize in the coming days.”

“This is an operation that the Mexican government decided to undertake regarding the domestic affairs of Mexico. Our concern is the safety and security of Canadians,” she said.

Canada is not currently looking at arranging evacuation flights and has not been asked by Mexico to provide aid or military support, she said.

Anand said Mexican authorities did not inform her of its security operation ahead of time.

“I was not provided with any indication that this particular operation would be taking place, and on my understanding, I believe that the Government of Canada was not provided with (an) indication that it was going to occur,” she said.

“It is always helpful for us to know more in order to support Canadians.”

The Conservatives and the Bloc Québécois are calling on Ottawa to evacuate Canadians. That step has not yet been taken by peer nations such as the U.S. — which, like Canada, is advising citizens to shelter in place until local authorities say the streets are safe to navigate.

Conservative foreign affairs critic Michael Chong wrote on the social media platform X that Ottawa should “urgently work with Canada’s allies, and the government of Mexico, to ensure the safety of our citizens and to co-ordinate an evacuation.”

Bloc MP Alexis Brunelle-Duceppe told reporters in French that Ottawa should “put in place an emergency plan in collaboration with the Mexican authorities to repatriate Quebecers and Canadians.”

In Toronto, Ontario Premier Doug Ford urged Canadians to consider vacationing in Canada instead of Mexico.

“That’s pretty unstable, when you’re taking out drug cartels and all of a sudden they’re going hitting back against tourists and everyone else,” he told reporters at Queen’s Park.

“In my opinion, it’s not a stable country right now. Don’t go there and maybe pick an island somewhere, or here in Canada.”

Ford triggered blowback in late 2024 when he said U.S. President Donald Trump’s comments comparing drug trafficking in Mexico to drug trafficking in Canada were “the most insulting thing” he had “ever heard.”

Anand also said Monday that Ottawa will be sending some sort of aid to Cuba, where a humanitarian crisis is emerging due to a U.S. oil blockade.

“We are preparing a plan to assist. We are not prepared at this point to provide any further details of an announcement,” Anand said.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published Feb. 23, 2026.

— With files from Allison Jones in Toronto and The Associated Press.

Dylan Robertson, The Canadian Press

by The Canadian Press

Canada deploys staff to help 26,000 Canadians in Mexico as violence continues

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