Pa. travelers urged to take precautions in Mexico

• Pennsylvanians in Mexico should keep their friends and family consistently updated on their whereabouts, McCormick wrote in a recent X post.

Catch up quick: A wave of violent incidents hit western Mexico on Sunday in apparent retaliation for the capture of Jalisco cartel leader Nemesio Rubén Oseguera Cervantes, known as "El Mencho."

• Americans in Puerto Vallarta, Cancun, Tulum and elsewhere Sunday were told to shelter in place by the State Department.
• That order was lifted Tuesday evening.

Case in point: Former Steelers cornerback Joe Haden got stuck in Cabo San Lucas on Monday after travel was shut down. He returned home Tuesday, according to his Instagram.

What they're saying: McCormick said Pennsylvanians in Mexico should enroll in the Smart Traveler Enrollment Program (STEP), which will send citizens traveling or living abroad direct updates about any emergency alerts.

• He also encouraged visitors to follow the "U.S. Citizens in Mexico" WhatsApp channel and the @USEmbassyMEX account on X.

• Pennsylvanians can call McCormick's office at 202-224-6324 for more advice.

Zoom out: Several major airlines have canceled flights to Puerto Vallarta and Guadalajara in western Mexico following the violence.

Zoom in: Direct flights between PIT and Mexico remain scheduled as of Tuesday afternoon.

• Pittsburgh's only current direct flights to Mexico leave once a week on Saturdays and are operated through American Airlines and Allegiant to Cancun, on the eastern edge of Mexico.

Check Flight Aware to ensure your flight hasn't been canceled.

Editor's note: This story has been updated with the latest information about the shelter in place order.