26,000 Canadians Registered in Mexico Amid Wave of Cartel Violence, Minister Anand Says

A soldier stands guard by a charred vehicle after it was set on fire, in Cointzio, Michoacán state, Mexico, Feb. 22, 2026, following the death of the leader of the Jalisco New Generation Cartel, Nemesio Oseguera, known as "El Mencho." AP Photo/Armando Solis

A day after a surge of violence in Mexico followed the military killing of a drug kingpin—prompting shelter-in-place orders—Foreign Affairs Minister Anita Anand says thousands of Canadians in Mexico have registered with her department.

Anand said that more than 26,000 Canadians in Mexico had registered with Global Affairs Canada as of the morning of Feb. 23, an increase of nearly 8,000 from the previous day