US slaps highest-level 'do not travel' warning on five Mexican states

[Teh One Who Knocks]

FOX News and The Associated Press


https://i.imgur.com/WgPSjPH.jpg

The State Department unveiled a revamped travel warning system Wednesday, giving five Mexican states the sternest "do not travel" advisory alongside war-torn nations like Syria, Yemen and Somalia.

All five states -- Tamaulipas on the U.S. border and Sinaloa, Colima, Michoacan and Guerrero on the Pacific coast -- are hotspots of drug cartel activity, either hosting trafficking routes or extensive drug-crop cultivation.

The new warning system designates the states as a "level 4" risk, the highest level of potential danger. Mexico as a whole has a level 2 rating, meaning Americans should "exercise increased caution" because of concerns about crime. But an additional 11 Mexican states got a level 3 warning Wednesday, which urges people to "reconsider travel" there. Mexico has 31 states in all.

Those states where Americans are urged to reconsider travel include the State of Mexico - Mexico's most populous state, which includes most suburbs of Mexico City - and Jalisco, home to the city of Guadalajara, the Puerto Vallarta resorts and the lakeside expat community of Chapala and Ajijic. But the travel advisory said there are "no restrictions on U.S. government employees for stays in ... Guadalajara, Puerto Vallarta, Chapala, and Ajijic."

Most of northern Mexico, including the border states of Chihuahua, Coahuila, Nuevo Leon and Sonora as well as Durango, Zacatecas and San Luis Potosi, are under level 3 warnings.

Mexico's federal tourism department was not immediately available to comment on the new warnings.

But the government's Mexico Tourism Board said in a statement that "Mexico's major international tourism destinations have been explicitly listed as having no travel restrictions," apparently a reference to major resorts like Cancun, Puerto Vallarta and Huatulco.

However, at least two Mexican resorts -- Ixtapa-Zihuatanejo and Acapulco -- are in a do-not-travel state, Guerrero, and last year, the State Department extended a total ban on personal travel by U.S. government personnel there.

U.S. personnel had previously been allowed to fly to Ixtapa, the last place in Guerrero where they had been allowed to go. Personal travel by land and to the resort city of Acapulco had already been prohibited.

The no-travel states had mostly already lost much foreign tourism.

Tamaulipas has long been riven by turf wars between rival drug cartels, and Sinaloa is home to the cartel of the same name. Michoacan was so dominated by a drug cartel that vigilantes took up arms in 2013 to drive them out.

Colima has seen homicides skyrocket in recent years due to the growth of the Jalisco New Generation drug cartel, and the state now has Mexico's highest homicide rate, with 83.3 killings per 100,000 residents, according to figures for the first 11 months of 2017.

The U.S. government did note its employees are allowed to go to the seaside city of Manzanillo, Colima.

The state with second-highest homicide rate -- 61.6 per 100,000 -- was Baja California Sur, home to the twin resorts of Los Cabos. The state conserved its level 2 advisory, "exercise increased caution," despite a series of shootouts and killings in recent months.

Rising levels of violence have not so far affected Los Cabos, which saw a 16 percent increase in tourism arrivals and an 18 percent rise in hotel occupancy in 2017, said Rodrigo Esponda, managing director of the Los Cabos Tourism Board.

Esponda said local officials and tourism operators are investing in increased security, including camera systems and the construction of a new marine base.

"We are going to keep working very hard in 2018 to make sure that Los Cabos continues as a safe destination," Esponda said.

Speaking to local media earlier this week, Tourism Secretary Enrique De la Madrid said, "In my opinion, the most important challenge we have in the tourism sector are crime events occurring where they didn't before, for example in Cancun, la Paz and Los Cabos."

[Goofy]

Watched a documentary about the Mexican cartels a couple of nights ago, scary stuff tbh

[PorkChopSandwiches]

I'm going to hitchhike through those states to prove they are safe

[Hal-9000]

Mexico has states? :-s

Just like their Big Brother, AMERICA! :usa:

[Godfather]

I don't go to Mexico. I go to a Mexican Airport -> Tour Bus -> Gated compound and then back in reverse home again :lol:

When I was 19 I'd go into towns, do some exploring. I've seen the ruins, done the excursions, ventured to the back alleys late night and had a couple sketchy incidences (I can honestly tick-off bribing a Mexican cop not to get arrested for nothing from my bucket list). I'm long done with all that :lol:

[RBP]

Hmmm... Travel bans, money transfers, NAFTA withdrawal or renegotiation. Nope, Mexico won't pay for that fucking wall. No way, no how.

[redred]

You think the California fires that destroyed the avocado farms was an accident do you ? :lol: :fbd:

[Goofy]

I was in Tijuana when i was around 12 or 13, bought a wooden chess set from a market stall which i still have....... lot of poverty from what i remember though, never saw any trouble.

[DemonGeminiX]

I'm going to hitchhike through those states to prove they are safe

Easy for you to say... damn midget beaner.

[-(

[RBP]

I was in Tijuana when i was around 12 or 13, bought a wooden chess set from a market stall which i still have....... lot of poverty from what i remember though, never saw any trouble.

I'm sure nothing has changed in 40 years. :lol:

[Teh One Who Knocks]

I was in Tijuana when i was around 12 or 13, bought a wooden chess set from a market stall which i still have....... lot of poverty from what i remember though, never saw any trouble.

:-k

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[Hal-9000]

Keep a happy thought :lol:

Coworker went to Mexico over a decade ago and had a similar experience to GF. They could walk around the gated grounds of their hotel, but there were armed military on the street who advised not to go out past 7pm shopping, drinking etc.

He said there was so much tension on the streets, they were happy to leave.

[Teh One Who Knocks]

You couldn't pay me to go to Mexico.

[Hal-9000]

How come every picture of a road looks like a border crossing?

[Hal-9000]

I miss that show The Border :(

[Pony]

https://i.imgur.com/3ho378Z.jpg

[Godfather]

You couldn't pay me to go to Mexico.

Although I talk some shit, I think the murder rate is lower in the major tourist areas (I'm fond of Playa Del Carmen) than most major cities in the US. Tourism is their only business in the resort towns and they work hard to make you feel safe especially during the day.


Cancún’s murder rate is 20 people per 100,000 inhabitants and Los Cabos’ is 14 people per 100,000 inhabitants, the equivalent rates for some big U.S. cities is significantly higher: 52 people per 100,000 inhabitants in Baltimore, 50 in Detroit and 20 in Washington, D.C., according to New York University’s Brennan Center for Justice figures.

Read more here: http://www.miamiherald.com/news/local/news-columns-blogs/andres-oppenheimer/article169187707.html#storylink=cpy


As I said, I prefer to stay close to the gated resorts these days but I'd honestly still recommend it as a beautiful, fun, and very fairly priced vacation. You click a couple buttons on Expedia and you've got flights, travel, resort, food and booze all taken care of with one booking for as little as $600-800 each per week (I'd recommend going no less than 4.5 stars though). Great for a vacation where you just want to unwind.

The alternative if you want 'all inclusive' is a Carribean island where the travel will take you 3x as long, and cost probably twice as much or more.... plus they're all wiped our right now due to hurricanes...

Aside from some sketchy shit after hours being where I shouldn't have been, and the airports being chaotic, I've never been sick or felt unsafe, especially in the hotels. I felt more tension in Paris and Nice being there shortly after terrorist attacks if I'm being honest :lol:

[Hal-9000]

Although I talk some shit, I think the murder rate is lower in the major tourist areas (I'm fond of Playa Del Carmen) than most major cities in the US. Tourism is their only business in the resort towns and they work hard to make you feel safe especially during the day.




As I said, I prefer to stay close to the gated resorts these days but I'd honestly still recommend it as a beautiful, fun, and very fairly priced vacation. You click a couple buttons on Expedia and you've got flights, travel, resort, food and booze all taken care of with one booking for as little as $600-800 each per week (I'd recommend going no less than 4.5 stars though). Great for a vacation where you just want to unwind.

The alternative if you want 'all inclusive' is a Carribean island where the travel will take you 3x as long, and cost probably twice as much or more.... plus they're all wiped our right now due to hurricanes...

Aside from some sketchy shit after hours being where I shouldn't have been, and the airports being chaotic, I've never been sick or felt unsafe, especially in the hotels. I felt more tension in Paris and Nice being there shortly after terrorist attacks if I'm being honest :lol:

I just look at the map wondering what places would be like and shit happens there...Turkey, Indonesia, France, the Caribbean. Either terrorist activities or bad weather. I'm going to stop dreaming.

[Godfather]

I just look at the map wondering what places would be like and shit happens there...Turkey, Indonesia, France, the Caribbean. Either terrorist activities or bad weather. I'm going to stop dreaming.

It's scary, but I still think you're fall more likely to get smoked driving to the airport than by a terrorist attack in most countries :lol:

[RBP]

I haven't been to Mexico in years. Pretty much with Lance, but an all-inclusive without leaving the resort is the only thing I'd consider. I usually like to explore the area, so that hasn't been as appealing of late.

[Godfather]

Anyone been to Turkey? That is one country I've always heard and thought looks beautiful, but the recent upheaval there has me wondering if I'll ever actually go...

[RBP]

Anyone been to Turkey? That is one country I've always heard and thought looks beautiful, but the recent upheaval there has me wondering if I'll ever actually go...

Wouldn't consider it right now. Budapest and Prague are about as far as I'd venture. Red knows those areas well.

[Teh One Who Knocks]

Although I talk some shit, I think the murder rate is lower in the major tourist areas (I'm fond of Playa Del Carmen) than most major cities in the US. Tourism is their only business in the resort towns and they work hard to make you feel safe especially during the day.




As I said, I prefer to stay close to the gated resorts these days but I'd honestly still recommend it as a beautiful, fun, and very fairly priced vacation. You click a couple buttons on Expedia and you've got flights, travel, resort, food and booze all taken care of with one booking for as little as $600-800 each per week (I'd recommend going no less than 4.5 stars though). Great for a vacation where you just want to unwind.

The alternative if you want 'all inclusive' is a Carribean island where the travel will take you 3x as long, and cost probably twice as much or more.... plus they're all wiped our right now due to hurricanes...

Aside from some sketchy shit after hours being where I shouldn't have been, and the airports being chaotic, I've never been sick or felt unsafe, especially in the hotels. I felt more tension in Paris and Nice being there shortly after terrorist attacks if I'm being honest :lol:

Sorry, but to me, being secluded at a gated resort isn't a vacation. Imagine going to Rome and being stuck at your 'resort compound' and not being able to go see the Coliseum or the Roman Senate ruins or any number of things there are to do there.

:dunno:

[PorkChopSandwiches]

Nothing wrong with Mexico, that's like saying you wouldn't go to Chicago

[Godfather]

Sorry, but to me, being secluded at a gated resort isn't a vacation. Imagine going to Rome and being stuck at your 'resort compound' and not being able to go see the Coliseum or the Roman Senate ruins or any number of things there are to do there.

:dunno:

Ya but Mexico isn't Rome :lol: Going to Italy is traveling, if you sit by the pool you're an idiot... you go to Mexico on the other hand and you're not the Coliseum (trust me, I've seen the ruins), it's vacationing. Unwinding and relaxing while someone brings you boozy drinks all day (on the cheap). Totally different trips, but I do totally understanding sitting on a beach chair all day isn't everyone's type of trip and may bore you to death - regardless of if it's a safe country or not.

I like to mix it up, went to France last year and walked for miles a day, saw everything. This year I'll probably go to Mexico or the Caribbean and be a fat slob by the pool for a week :lol:

[deebakes]

good thing porky was just able to visit his family there before this happened :shrug:

[Hal-9000]

Nothing wrong with Mexico, that's like saying you wouldn't go to Chicago

Yes it is :lol:

"Ooooh look at the funny tourist tshirt you got in Chicago...made out of kevlar."

[Hal-9000]

Anyone been to Turkey? That is one country I've always heard and thought looks beautiful, but the recent upheaval there has me wondering if I'll ever actually go...

I put it on my list for that reason. Started reading about surrounding areas and things to do...and damn, airport attack happens the next week.

Hawaii just made my list too :( . The missile attack warning was removed, but now it's on peoples minds....

[Teh One Who Knocks]

Ya but Mexico isn't Rome :lol: Going to Italy is traveling, if you sit by the pool you're an idiot... you go to Mexico on the other hand and you're not the Coliseum (trust me, I've seen the ruins), it's vacationing. Unwinding and relaxing while someone brings you boozy drinks all day (on the cheap). Totally different trips, but I do totally understanding sitting on a beach chair all day isn't everyone's type of trip and may bore you to death - regardless of if it's a safe country or not.

I like to mix it up, went to France last year and walked for miles a day, saw everything. This year I'll probably go to Mexico or the Caribbean and be a fat slob by the pool for a week :lol:

Sitting around doing nothing all day and PAYING for the privilege of it is a waste to me and I would be bored as fuck. :lol: If I wanted to sit around doing nothing I could just stay home all day, every day for a week. And if I wanted to feel like I was in Mexico, I can drive down to certain parts of the city and you would be the only white guy around and have a hard time believing that you actually weren't in Mexico. :lol:

If it works for you and others, that's cool, but to travel 1,000's of miles and pay to do nothing, that to me is just a waste. :dunno:

[Hal-9000]

Sitting around doing nothing all day and PAYING for the privilege of it is a waste to me and I would be bored as fuck. :lol: If I wanted to sit around doing nothing I could just stay home all day, every day for a week. And if I wanted to feel like I was in Mexico, I can drive down to certain parts of the city and you would be the only white guy around and have a hard time believing that you actually weren't in Mexico. :lol:

If it works for you and others, that's cool, but to travel 1,000's of miles and pay to do nothing, that to me is just a waste. :dunno:

Sad thing is fear and terrorism works. I was just reading about the Las Vegas shooting and now I won't ever see an open air concert there. Granted I went deep into the logistics of the story and the amount of killing and wounding that occurred within less than 10 minutes, but the incident has already changed how I look at something that used to have no fear associated with it.

What's next, a large bomb in The Maldives? Shooter at the Running of the Bulls? Car killer at Daytona on Spring Break?

Political and military unrest in a country now takes a backseat to the new fear of - What sick method of terrorism will be used here today?