Authorities in western Mexico are asking residents to stay at home as they scramble to extinguish burning vehicles blocking roads in various parts of Guadalajara.
The prosecutor’s office in the western state of Jalisco used its Twitter account to ask residents of Guadalajara to remain calm Friday morning as authorities responded to the suspected blockades ignited by a drug cartel.
Such blockades are a common cartel response to the arrest of important members or are used to foil police and military operations.
The activity came as Mexico celebrated the May 1 holiday and the federal government announced the implementation of “Operation Jalisco” to improve the state’s security without providing further details.
Last month, the Jalisco New Generation cartel killed 15 state police officers in an ambush.
Hours after the attacks in Guadalajara, attacks were reported in Puerto Vallarta, Mexico, and 17 other municipalities in the state.