The federal cabinet has rejected calls to organize repatriation flights for Canadians in Mexico despite escalating violence and mounting travel warnings, saying Ottawa will not deploy planes or the military at this time.Foreign Affairs Minister Anita Anand told reporters the government is closely monitoring the deteriorating security situation but is not considering airlifts.“Not at this time,” Anand said when asked whether Ottawa would send in aircraft to evacuate Canadians. Pressed on whether the military could be deployed, she repeated, “Not at this time.”Instead, the Department of Foreign Affairs, Trade and Development is urging Canadians in Mexico to follow local curfews and safety guidance as clashes between security forces and armed gangs intensify.“I ask that all Canadians follow local guidelines including sheltering in place if that is what local guidelines are dictating,” Anand said, adding the Canadian Embassy is working to provide up-to-date information. “That type of support begins with providing accurate information about the situation on the ground.”In an updated travel advisory, the department warned Canadians to “keep a low profile” and “limit your movements” amid reports of roadblocks set ablaze with burning vehicles, shootouts with security forces and explosions along highways, including routes connecting affected regions to Mexico City..Ottawa advised against non-essential travel to multiple states, including Chiapas, Chihuahua, Colima, Guanajuato, Guerrero, Jalisco, Michoacán, Nayarit, Nuevo Leon, Sinaloa, Sonora, Tamaulipas and Zacatecas, as well as Lagunas de Zampola National Park. Anand specifically cited concerns in Jalisco state, including Guadalajara and Puerto Vallarta; Guerrero state, including Acapulco; Michoacán; Sinaloa, including Mazatlán; Quintana Roo, including Cancun; Baja California, including Tijuana and Tecate; and Nayarit.Anand described the situation as “serious and rapidly evolving,” but declined to outline contingency plans should conditions worsen.“That’s a good question,” she said when asked about possible preparations. “Obviously everyone wants to know what will happen in the next few days, but now the situation is fluid.”According to the minister, 26,305 Canadians have voluntarily registered with the Canadian Embassy in Mexico. She acknowledged the real number of Canadians in the country is likely far higher.Past evacuations have carried significant price tags. Repatriation flights for 57,000 Canadians stranded abroad during the 2020 pandemic outbreak cost $21 million, while a 2006 emergency evacuation of 13,270 Canadians from Beirut cost $75.8 million.For now, Ottawa’s position remains unchanged: no airlift, no military deployment and no immediate plans to extract Canadians, as officials continue to monitor developments on the ground.
