The United States Department of State has issued shelter-in-place warnings for Americans at several popular tourist destinations in Mexico.
The official alert was issued on Sunday, Feb. 22, for the Mexican state of Jalisco — which includes popular tourist spots such as Puerto Vallarta, Chapala and Guadalajara — as well as the states of Tamaulipas, Michoacan, Guerrero and Nuevo Leon.
“Due to ongoing security operations and related road blockages and criminal activity, U.S. citizens in the named locations should shelter in place until further notice,” the department said.
The alert additionally advised U.S. citizens in the affected areas to “avoid areas around law enforcement activity,” “avoid crowds” and “seek shelter and minimize unnecessary movements.”
The U.S. Department of State and Mexico’s Ministry of National Defense did not immediately respond to PEOPLE’s request for comment.
The warnings come after the Mexican government initiated a military operation against the Jalisco New Generation Cartel (CJNG), a major drug cartel in the region, on Feb. 22, per a press release from Mexico’s Ministry of National Defense.
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