kidnapping threat, the place to keep away from
The U.S. State Division issued an up to date Journey Advisory Wednesday for U.S. vacationers visiting Mexico, together with new state-level recommendation and info on “kidnapping threat.”
The company cited an “elevated threat of crime and kidnapping” in sure areas of Mexico.
A spokesperson for the State Division advised USA TODAY in an e mail that the company commonly evaluations all Journey Advisories to make sure U.S. residents have essentially the most related and well timed info to take advantage of knowledgeable selections relating to their security and safety when touring abroad.
Final week, the State Division issued an alert to U.S. residents when stories of “a number of automobile fires, roadblocks, and heavy police exercise” surfaced in Tijuana and the encompassing space. On Monday in a press briefing, Division spokesperson Ned Worth stated there have been no stories to share on U.S. residents being injured or killed within the incident.
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The up to date Journey Advisory contains new info on the Coahuila, Mexico, Nayarit, and Zacatecas states. Vacationers ought to “train elevated warning when touring to” Coahuila, Mexico and Nayarit and “not journey to” Zacatecas.
There’s additionally up to date info on the “kidnapping threat” for the states of Colima, Michoacan, Sinaloa, Tamaulipas, Zacatecas, Baja California, Chihuahua, Guanajuato, Jalisco, Sonora, Nuevo Leon, Puebla, Quintana Roo and San Luis Potosi.
Based on the advisory, “U.S. residents are suggested to stick to restrictions on U.S. authorities worker journey.” Some restrictions embrace not hailing taxis from the road however slightly utilizing a rideshare service like Uber or regulated taxi stands, and to not journey alone.
If a U.S. citizen nonetheless decides to journey to a Mexican state with a Degree 4, or “don’t journey to,” Journey Advisory or Degree 3, “rethink journey to,” Journey Advisory, they’re urged to learn the State Division’s info on high-risk journey.
Aileen Teague, assistant professor at The Bush College of Authorities & Public Service at Texas A&M College, reminds folks that whereas organized crime does exist in components of northeastern Mexico, there are additionally “lovely locations which are depending on tourism and comparatively protected.”
“Use warning when touring to Mexico as you’ll to another nation, but in addition do not let a few of these media headlines of violence and criminality undermine the fantastic issues that Mexico has to supply and its wealthy historical past,” she stated. “It is a disgrace for individuals to solely deal with the facet of crime and violence that happen.”
The Facilities for Illness Management and Prevention additionally decided Mexico to be Degree 3, or Excessive, for COVID-19.
Earlier this yr, People have been warned to “keep away from journey to Mexico” after current safety incidents in vacationer locations like Cancun and Playa Del Carmen. All the record of state-level advisories could be discovered on-line.