"Very eerie."
That's how a Windsor resident is describing the ongoing situation in Mexico.
Leah Hanson, who is vacationing in Nuevo Vallarta, says a 'shelter in place' order has been issued by local government officials.
Speaking on AM800's Mornings with Mike & Meg, she says the condo complex she is staying at is about 30 minutes from Puerto Vallarta.
Hanson says she was headed to Puerto Vallarta for the day yesterday, but a friend messaged her saying, 'Don't come...there's some kind of protest going on, and we saw a burned-out car.'
"We are a little bit away, but we are also under a 'shelter in place' order from the local government and just suggesting that we should all just kind of stay where we are, remain calm," says Hanson.
She says they heard a loud explosion on Sunday, and no one knew what it was.
"It just sounded very loud, and obviously thinking it was further up the coastline to Puerto Vallarta that was the only thing that we heard," she says. "Here where we are, they told everyone they should go back to their units. They also cleared the beach for a time, and then slowly but surely later in the afternoon, things started opening up a little bit at least here; you could go back down to the pool; you could go back down to the beach."
Hanson says a high degree of caution is being urged for the area she's in.
"All these roadways and pedestrian ways that are usually jam-packed with people walking and cycling and cars, they are quiet," says Hanson. "There is not a lot going on, and then all the grocery stores closed down."
She says a big concern for people right now is 'how will they get back home?'
Hanson says she's scheduled to come back on Sunday.
Government officials in western Mexico warn that Jalisco State, which includes the popular resort city of Puerto Vallarta, is currently unsafe for travel after the leader of a major drug cartel was reportedly killed in a government operation to capture him.
Cartel members responded with violence across the country, blocking roads and setting fire to vehicles, including throughout Jalisco state.
Global Affairs Canada issued a warning to Canadians in the region to stay indoors, keep a low profile, and follow the instructions from local authorities.
The situation has led multiple Canadian airlines to cancel flights, with Air Canada and WestJet suspending service in and out of Puerto Vallarta today.
Other airlines diverting or cancelling flights to the area include Flair, Air Transat, and Porter.