Skip the trip: The United States issues new travel advisories for Mexico
It’s serious out here y’all, and these important concerns should not be dismissed.
The State Department is reminding Americans that it is not safe to travel to Mexico. The U.S. government has issued another warning to its citizens just in time for spring break, advising them to either not travel to Mexico at all, to rethink their trip, or to exercise extreme caution in various parts of the country due to the risk of violence.
In February, Detour reported that the United States issued Mexico with its strictest “do not travel” warning, urging people to rethink their upcoming spring break plans in Mexico, especially if they were to include visits to any of the handful of states where increased threats of crime within tourist areas have been reported.
According to The Points Guy, the U.S. Department of State warns that “violent crime” such as homicide, kidnapping, carjacking, and robbery is “widespread and common” in Mexico. As of right now, a warning against visiting 30 of Mexico’s 32 states has been released.
This updated warning comes as news breaks of four American citizens being involved in serious violence in Matamoros, a town in Mexico close to the Texas border. According to an internal government document seen by Reuters, Mexican law enforcement officials are looking into the possibility that four Americans last Friday may have been abducted by drug cartel members who believed they were encroaching on their territory.
A wood cabin was discovered southeast of Matamoros, the border city in the state of Tamaulipas where the four Americans were abducted on Friday. Two of the Americans, named by Mexican officials as Shaeed Woodard and Zindell Brown, were found dead inside the cabin on Monday.
The United States Department of State provides a detailed analysis of the security situation in Mexico, broken down by individual states. Colima, Guerrero, Michoacan, Sinaloa, Tamaulipas, and Zacatecas are the six Mexican states that have a “do not travel” advisory. Baja and Jalisco, where the tourist hotspot of Puerto Vallarta is located, are two of seven states with a “reconsider travel” advisory.
An “exercise increased caution” warning is issued for 17 additional states, including Baja California Sur, which is home to the well-known Cabo San Lucas resorts, and Nayarit state, which is where Riviera Nayarit is located. That group also includes Mexico City.
Crime and kidnapping are of concern in all of Mexico, but particularly in the state of Quintana Roo. Cancun, Playa del Carmen, and Tulum are all located in the Mexican state of Quintana Roo. It’s a popular tourist destination and is usually safe for those traveling from other countries. Campeche and Yucatan are the only two Mexican states where Americans are not advised against visiting.
The U.S. Department of State advises tourists to check their own security measures, pay attention to local media, and have Mexican authorities’ contact information handy in case of emergency.
Evie Blanco is a journalist with nearly a decade of experience who was born in the Dominican Republic and raised in Queens, New York. She is extremely well-versed in hip-hop music and culture and is always aware of any developments within it. Whether it’s the latest in pop culture, a fascinating foreign destination, a truly amazing new restaurant, or breaking news, she loves to write about it all.
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This story was originally published March 9, 2023 at 2:15 PM.