Some Minnesotans stranded in Mexico after violence erupts
Violence erupted in the streets of Mexico Sunday soon after the country's security forces killed a powerful cartel leader, a man known as El Mencho.
The U.S. deputy secretary of state called El Mencho "one of the bloodiest and most ruthless drug kingpins."
Members of organized crime groups lit cars on fire, blocked roads and clashed with police.
The U.S. State Department is asking U.S. citizens to shelter in place until further notice, adding "roadblocks have impacted some airline operations" and "taxis and ride shares are suspended."
Flights to and from Puerto Vallarta, Mexico, have been canceled — that includes flights on Delta and Sun Country set to arrive at Minneapolis-St. Paul International Airport on Sunday.
Andrea Shapiro, a Minnesotan, spoke with WCCO from a hotel looking over the city of Puerto Vallarta on Sunday.
"A feeling of uncertainty," said Shapiro. "The whole sky was filled with dark, dark smoke all over."
By now, she had expected to be on a plane, heading home to Minnesota. Instead, on Sunday morning, she found the hotel doors locked.
Shapiro was in Mexico with family, celebrating her daughter's recent engagement.
"Best trip ever, and they all got out yesterday and we decided to extend our vacation for a day and now we are stuck," said Shapiro.
Roseanne Hope is from Minneapolis, but currently sheltering in place in a condo several miles from Puerto Vallarta.
"I was going down the street and all of a sudden everything just shut down," Hope explained. "I ran to the store and got as much food as I could."
Hope is staying with a group, hoping the food she grabbed will be enough for the lockdown. While the streets are quieter near her condo, her friends in Puerto Vallarta watched as cars went up in flames.
"We have lots of love and support with family and friends so we feel really grateful," said Hope. "We just don't know when it's gonna stop."
Two other Minnesota residents in Puerto Vallarta, who asked to remain anonymous for safety reasons, said they first realized something was wrong when they saw smoke rising near the city.
"So we went out and checked it out, and here's this car, bus and motorcycle all on fire," one of the Minnesotans said.
They said they soon heard word that a major cartel leader had been killed and that retaliation was underway.
"The word got out quickly that the cartel leader had been shot and that this was done by the cartel, and that everybody should head indoors and stay out of sight," one of the Minnesotans said.
The couple said businesses quickly closed and the area turned quiet.
"And right after that, all the local stores, bars, everybody, they locked up, and all went home, and it was pretty much a ghost town after that," one of the Minnesotans said.
They told WCCO their original flight home was canceled.
"Well, we were supposed to fly out yesterday, and it got canceled," one of the Minnesotans said.
They said they were able to book new flights for later in the week, but at a steep cost.
"They're charging a lot of money for one-way tickets home ... It's a little over $1,000 per person," one of the Minnesotans said.
A Maple Grove, Minnesota, man, John Martin, said he's traveled to Mexico many times and never expected to face a situation like this. He described seeing military activity overhead near his hotel.
"Here comes a Black Hawk helicopter flying low over our hotel with their guns out the door ... That kind of wakes you up a little bit," Martin said.
He added that rumors have spread quickly among tourists, and accurate information can be difficult to pin down in real time.
Tips for travelers with scheduled trips to Mexico
Kyle Potter, executive editor at Minnesota-based Thrifty Traveler, said people with trips in the immediate future to Mexico should weigh their comfort level quickly. For travel later this spring, he recommended avoiding a knee-jerk decision until more is known.
Potter also said travelers should take a hard look at their travel insurance policies.
"You absolutely without question have to read the fine print," Potter said. "You cannot assume that you're being covered for every situation X, Y and Z that you think you are."
Potter said understanding what's covered, including extra hotel nights and rebooking costs, can make a major difference if plans change unexpectedly.
For the Minnesotans already there, the next step is simple: Stay put, stay informed and wait for their next flight home.