Thinking of vacationing in Mexico? Think again. The U.S. State Department has advised against travel to most of its tourist regions because of kidnappings and crime.
The U.S. issued its highest-level warning for the states of Guerrero, Colima, Michoacan, Sinaloa, Tamaulipas and Zacatecas–most all popular tourist destinations. They now join an infamous list of “do not travel” nations that include Iran, Iraq, Somalia, Haiti, North Korea, Syria, and Ukraine which is daily being bombed by Russia.
READ: Mexican – U.S. border now deadliest in the world
Of Mexico’s 32 states, just two are currently listed under the State Department’s lowest level “normal precautions’ designation” – Campeche and Yucatan.
According to the U.S. Treasury, drug cartels have close ties to nightclubs and restaurants in tsome cities, enabling them to launder drug proceeds.
The cartels are responsible for trafficking a “significant proportion of the fentanyl and other deadly drugs that enter the United States,” according to the Treasury.
Mexican police are even linked to the extortion of American tourists, including a vacationing attorney from California who mysteriously died.
If you must travel to Mexico, you are strongly encouraged to:
- Review the U.S. Embassy’s webpage on COVID-19.
- Visit the CDC’s web page on Travel and COVID-19.
- Keep traveling companions and family back home informed of your travel plans. If separating from your travel group, send a friend your GPS location. If taking a taxi alone, take a photo of the taxi number and/or license plate and text it to a friend.
- Use toll roads when possible and avoid driving alone or at night. In many states, police presence and emergency services are extremely limited outside the state capital or major cities.
- Exercise increased caution when visiting local bars, nightclubs, and casinos.
- Do not display signs of wealth, such as wearing expensive watches or jewelry.
- Be extra vigilant when visiting banks or ATMs.
- Enroll in the Smart Traveler Enrollment Program (STEP) to receive Alerts and make it easier to locate you in an emergency.
- Follow the Department of State on Facebook and Twitter.
- Follow the U.S. Embassy on Facebook and Twitter.
- Review the Country Security Report for Mexico.
- Mariners planning travel to Mexico should check for U.S. maritime advisories and alerts, which include instructions on reporting suspicious activities and attacks to Mexican naval authorities.
- Prepare a contingency plan for emergency situations. Review the Traveler’s Checklist.
–Wire services