The U.S. State Department has issued an updated warning for the more than 13 million Americans who visit Mexico each year.
Issued Aug. 12, the latest alert added an indicator for an increased risk of terrorism. Existing warnings were already in place due to the threat of crime and kidnapping.
“Many violent crimes take place in Mexico. They include homicide, kidnapping, carjacking, and robbery. There is a risk of terrorist violence, including terrorist attacks and other activity in Mexico,” the alert noted.
Travelers to Mexico are advised to follow the same rules already in place for U.S. government employees in the country:
Some areas of Mexico are under a “Do Not Travel” advisory due to extremely high crime levels with threats from terrorist groups, cartels, gangs and criminal organizations. Those include the states of Colima, Guerrero, Michoacan, Sinaloa, Tamaulipas and Zacatecas.
“Most homicides are targeted assassinations against members of criminal organizations,” the state department warned. “Shooting incidents between criminal groups have injured or killed bystanders. U.S. citizens and lawful permanent residents have been victims of kidnapping.”
Additional areas – Baja California, Chiapas, Chihuahua, Guanajuato, Jalisco, Morelos and Sonora – are under Level 3: Reconsider Travel alert, also due to threats of crime, terrorism and kidnapping.
Baja California is home to Los Cabos; Jalisco is known for Guadalajara and Puerto Vallarta, all hot spots for tourists.
Quintana Roo, home to tourist meccas Cancun, Playa del Carmen, Talum and Cozumel, is under a Level 2: Exercise Increased Caution warning.
You can go here to see an interactive map of Mexico’s travel warnings.
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