The State Department has issued a Travel Warning to U.S. citizens about the security situation in Mexico, reports Travel Weekly. While millions of U.S. citizens safely visit Mexico each year, recent gun battles between rival drug cartels and Mexican authorities have taken place in towns and cities in many parts of Mexico, especially in the border region.
As a result, U.S. travelers should be aware that “crime and violence are serious problems and can occur anywhere,” according to the Department of State.
Travel Weekly reported that the advisory is much the same as the last travel advisory issued in November 2012. Non-essential travel is discouraged for 19 of Mexico’s 32 states. Popular tourist destinations in Mexico remain excluded from the advisory.
Popular attractions that are safe to travel to include: Cabo San Lucas, La Paz, San Miguel de Allende, Guadalajara, Puerto Vallarta, Mexico City, the Riviera Nayarit, Oaxaca, Huatulco, Puerto Escondido, Cancun, Cozumel, Playa del Carmen, Riviera Maya, Tulum, Merida, and Chichen Itza.
U.S. citizens have fallen victim to criminal activity including homicide, gun battles, kidnapping, carjacking and highway robbery. While most of those killed in narcotics-related violence have been members of Transnational Criminal Organizations (TCOs), innocent persons have also been killed.
The Mexican government makes a considerable effort to protect U.S. citizens and other visitors to major tourist destinations, and there is no evidence that TCOs have targeted U.S. visitors and residents based on their nationality. Resort areas and tourist destinations in Mexico generally do not see the levels of drug-related violence and crime that is reported in the border region and in areas along major trafficking routes, according to the Department.
Gun battles have occurred in broad daylight on streets and in other public venues, such as restaurants and clubs. During some of these incidents, U.S. citizens have been trapped and temporarily prevented from leaving the area. TCOs have used stolen cars, buses and trucks to create roadblocks on major thoroughfares, preventing the military and police from responding to criminal activity. The location and timing of future armed engagements is unpredictable.
The State Department is recommending that U.S. citizens exercise extreme caution when traveling throughout the northern border region.
The State Department says that the number of kidnappings and disappearances throughout Mexico is of particular concern. Both local and expatriate communities have been victimized. In addition, local police have been implicated in some of these incidents.
The State Department advises that U.S. citizens lower their profile and avoid displaying any evidence of wealth that might draw attention.
Carjacking and highway robbery are serious problems in many parts of the border region, and U.S. citizens have been murdered in such incidents. Most victims who complied with carjackers at these checkpoints have reported that they were not physically harmed. Carjackers have shot at vehicles that fail to stop at checkpoints. Incidents have occurred during the day and at night, and carjackers have used a variety of techniques, including bumping/moving vehicles to force them to stop and running vehicles off the road at high speeds. There are some indications that criminals have particularly targeted newer and larger vehicles, especially dark-colored SUVs.
Victims driving a variety of vehicles, from late model SUVs to old sedans, have also been targeted. While violent incidents have occurred at all hours of the day and night on both modern toll highways (“cuotas”) and on secondary roads, they have occurred most frequently at night and on isolated roads.
To reduce risk, if absolutely necessary to travel by road, the State Department is “strongly” urging citizens to travel between cities throughout Mexico only during daylight hours, to avoid isolated roads, and to use toll roads whenever possible. The Mexican government has deployed federal police and military personnel throughout the country as part of its efforts to combat the TCOs. U.S. citizens traveling on Mexican roads and highways may encounter government checkpoints, which are often staffed by military personnel or law enforcement personnel.
TCOs have erected their own unauthorized checkpoints, at times wearing police and military uniforms, and killed or abducted motorists who have failed to stop. It is advisable to cooperate at all checkpoints.
The U.S. Mission in Mexico imposes restrictions on U.S. government employees’ (U.S. citizens working at the Embassy and the nine consulates throughout Mexico) travel that have been in place since July 15, 2010. USG employees and their families are not permitted to drive for personal reasons from the U.S.-Mexico border, or to and from the interior of Mexico or Central America. Personal travel by vehicle is permitted between Hermosillo and Nogales but restricted to daylight hours and the Highway 15 toll road (“cuota”).
USG personnel and their families are also prohibited from personal travel to all areas in which it is advised to “defer non-essential travel”. While the general public is not forbidden from visiting places categorized under “defer non-essential travel,” USG personnel will not be able to respond quickly to an emergency situation in those areas due to security precautions that must be taken by USG personnel to travel to those areas.
There were 278 homicides in Tijuana from January to June 2013. Mexicali’s murder rate has climbed from 14.3 per 100,000 in 2011 to 15.8 per 100,000 in 2012. Turf battles between criminal groups resulted in some assassinations in areas of Tijuana and Mexicali frequented by U.S. citizens. Shooting incidents, in which innocent bystanders have been injured, have occurred during daylight hours.
Although homicides have decreased markedly—from a high of 3,100 homicides in 2010 to 749 in 2012, Ciudad Juarez still has one of the highest homicide rates in Mexico. Crime and violence remain serious problems throughout the state of Chihuahua, particularly in the southern portion of the state and in the Sierra Mountains, including Copper Canyon. U.S. citizens do not, however, appear to be targeted based on their nationality.
The State of Coahuila continues to experience high rates of violent crimes and narcotics-related murders. TCOs continue to compete for territory and coveted border crossings into the United States. The cities of Torreón, Saltillo, Piedras Negras, and Ciudad Acuña have seen an increase of violent crimes within the last six months, including murder, kidnapping, and armed carjacking.
The security situation along the Michoacan border continues to be the most unstable in the state with gun battles occurring between rival criminal groups and with Mexican authorities. Homicides throughout the state rose sharply from 113 in 2011 to 179 in 2012, according to official Mexican government sources.
It is recommended that citizens defer non-essential travel to the state of Durango. Cartel violence and highway lawlessness are a continuing security concern. Several areas in the state continue to experience high rates of violence and remain volatile and unpredictable. The Mexican government deployed troops in March 2013 to quell TCO violence in the La Laguna area, which is comprised of the cities of Gomez Palacio and Lerdo in the state of Durango and the city of Torreon in the state of Coahuila.
Eastern portions of the greater Mexico City metropolitan area, located just to the east of the Federal District of Mexico and Benito Juarez airport, have seen high rates of crime and insecurity.
Travelers should also exercise caution and travel only during daylight hours on toll highway (“cuota”) 95D between Mexico City and Acapulco, and highway 200 between Acapulco and Zihuatanejo/Ixtapa.
In Acapulco, it is recommended that travelers defer non-essential travel to areas further than 2 blocks inland of the Costera Miguel Aleman Boulevard, which parallels the popular beach areas.
The state of Guerrero has seen an increase in violence among rival criminal organizations. Acapulco’s murder rates increased dramatically since 2009.
Although the level of TCO violence and general insecurity in Monterrey has decreased within the last 12 months, sporadic gun battles continue to occur in the greater Monterrey area.
The entire stretch of highway 57D in San Luis Potosi and portions of the state east of highway 57D towards Tamaulipas are particularly dangerous. A USG employee was killed and another wounded when they were attacked in their U.S. government vehicle on Highway 57 near Santa Maria del Rio in 2011. Cartel violence and highway lawlessness are a continuing security concern.
One of Mexico’s most powerful TCOs is based in the state of Sinaloa. With the exception of Ciudad Juarez, since 2006, more homicides have occurred in the state’s capital city of Culiacan than in any other city in Mexico. Travel off the toll roads (“cuotas”) in remote areas of Sinaloa is especially dangerous and should be avoided.
U.S. citizens visiting Puerto Peñasco should exercise caution and use the Lukeville, Arizona/Sonoyta, Sonora border crossing, in order to limit driving through Mexico. Sonora is a key region in the international drug and human trafficking trades and can be extremely dangerous for travelers.
Nuevo Laredo has seen a marked increase in the number of murders, carjackings, and robberies in the past year. For example, the numbers of murders are up 92.5% over last year. These crimes occur in all parts of the city at all times of the day. The kidnapping rate for Tamaulipas, the highest for all states in Mexico, more than doubled in the past year.
In February 2013, four masked and armed individuals attempted to kidnap a U.S government employee in Matamoros during daylight hours. All travelers should be aware of the risks posed by armed robbery and carjacking on state highways throughout Tamaulipas, particularly on highways and roads outside of urban areas along the northern border.
The state of Veracruz continues to experience violence among rival criminal organizations. Mexican federal security forces continue to assist state and local security forces in providing security and combating organized crime.
The northwestern portion of the state of Zacatecas has become notably dangerous and insecure. Robberies and carjackings are occurring with increased frequency, and both local authorities and residents have reported a surge in observed TCO activity.
The city of Fresnillo, the area extending northwest from Fresnillo along Highway 45 (Fresnillo-Sombrete) between Highways 44 and 49, and highway 49 northwards from Fresnillo through Durango and into Chihuahua are considered dangerous. Extreme caution should be taken when traveling in the remainder of the state.