Are you planning a trip to Mexico? Here are the warnings issued by the State Department

Spring break is coming up and four Americans have just been kidnapped across the border, so it’s important to know what’s going on if you’re planning on heading south.

Corpus Christie, Texas. Travel advice for Mexico has come under the spotlight after four Americans who crossed the border into Matamoros were reportedly abducted in broad daylight.

The state of Tamaulipas, where Matamoros is located, has a “Level 4 – Do Not Travel” recommendation, the highest travel recommendation given by the State Department. U.S. government employees have been ordered to avoid the area until further notice.

According to the U.S. Embassy and Consulate in Mexico, crimes and kidnappings are the reason for the Tamaulipas travel warning. Officials said organized crime activity, which could include shootings, murders, armed robberies, car thefts, kidnappings, enforced disappearances, extortion and sexual assault, is common along the northern border.

“Criminal groups harass public and private passenger buses, as well as private vehicles passing through Tamaulipas, often picking up passengers and demanding ransom,” the warning said.

This notice was first issued in 2022 and was reissued by officials on March 3, the day the four Americans were kidnapped in Matamoros.

“In these areas, local law enforcement has limited ability to respond to crime incidents,” the travel advisory said in a statement. “Law enforcement capacity is highest in the three cities of Tampico, Ciudad Madero and Altamira, where violent criminal activity is lower than in the rest of the state.”

Other travel recommendations for Mexico include Quintana Roo, home to a popular holiday destination in Cancun. This travel alert, which is a “Level 2 – Increased Exercise Caution” alert, was issued in January following clashes between taxi drivers and Uber drivers in the area.

The violence in Sinaloa led to the closure of personal consular services at the US consular agency in Mazatlán. Sinaloa is classified as “Tier 4 – Do Not Travel” because “violent crime is widespread and can occur without warning, affecting access to transportation, airports, utilities, and/or hospitals.”

While these three countries received travel advisories issued in 2023, several other states have travel advisories stemming from previous years.

Here is a complete list of travel recommendations for Mexico:

Take extra care when traveling to:

Take the usual precautions when traveling to:

The State Department strongly warns against traveling to these areas, but offers some guidance for those traveling to one of the precautionary areas:

Stay up to date

  • You are subject to the laws and legal system of the country you are visiting.

  • We cannot help you in many high risk areas. This may be due to the lack of a functioning government, the inefficiency or policies of local authorities, armed conflicts, or poor governance.

  • In many countries where the United States does not have diplomatic or consular ties, we are unable to provide consular services. In countries where the US has a formal defensive power agreement, limited assistance may be available.

  • During a crisis in a high-risk area, we may need to rely on local resources to solve problems. Please refer to our webpage for what we can and cannot do.

Before you go to a high-risk area

After careful consideration, if you choose to travel to high-risk areas, we strongly recommend that you:

  • Register your trip with the Department of State’s Smart Traveler Enrollment Program (STEP).

  • Make a will and indicate the relevant insurance beneficiaries and a power of attorney.

  • Discuss with your loved ones the care and custody plan for children, pets, property, personal items, non-liquid assets (collections, art, etc.), funeral wishes, etc.

  • Share important documents, login information, and contact information with your loved ones so they can attend to your business if you are unable to return to the United States as planned.

  • Learn how to use your phone or other smart device to share your location with friends and family when you’re abroad.

  • Develop a personal safety plan in collaboration with your employer or host organization, or consider consulting with a professional safety organization.

  • Develop a communication plan with your family, employer, and host organization so they can monitor your safety and whereabouts. This plan should outline who you will contact first and how they should share information.

  • Identify key sources of assistance for you and your family in an emergency, such as your local U.S. embassy or consulate, the FBI, the Department of State’s Office of Citizen Services, your employer (if you are traveling for work), and local friends and family in the high-risk area. risk.

  • Designate a family member as a point of contact with hostage-takers, the media, US and host country government agencies, and members of Congress if you are taken hostage or detained.

  • Set up a proof-of-life protocol with your loved ones so that if you’re taken hostage, they know the specific questions (and answers) to ask the hostage-takers to make sure you’re alive (and rule out tampering).

  • Leave the DNA samples with your doctor in case your family needs them.

  • Remove photos, comments, or other sensitive material from your social media pages, cameras, laptops, and other electronic devices that local groups may find controversial or inflammatory.

  • Leave your expensive or sentimental items behind.

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The post Are you planning a trip to Mexico? Here are the warnings issued by the State Department

first appeared on Texas Standard News.

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