The State Department warns travelers of crime and kidnapping in Mexico

Travelers from the United States may want to reconsider their travel plans to Mexico as the US State Department issues updated travel advisories to travelers, citing an “increased risk of crime and kidnapping”.

The State Department noted that violent crimes, such as murder, kidnapping, carjacking, and robbery, are “widespread and common” in Mexico.

Updated travel advisories include new information for the states of Coahuila, Mexico, Nayarit and Zacatecas.

Travelers should “exercise extra caution when traveling to” Coahuila, Mexico and Nayarit and “not travel to” Zacatecas.

There is also updated information on the “risk of kidnapping” in the states of Colima, Michoacan, Sinaloa, Tamaulipas, Zacatecas, Baja California, Chihuahua, Guanajuato, Jalisco, Sonora, Nuevo León, Puebla, Quintana Roo and San Luis Potosi.

Hundreds of Mexican National Guard troops are sent to Tijuana due to fuel cartel violence

According to the warning, “US citizens are advised to adhere to restrictions on travel for US government employees.” Some restrictions include not calling taxis from the street, but rather using a ride-sharing service such as Uber or organized taxi stands, and not traveling alone to remote locations.

The advisory also noted that the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has determined that Mexico has a high level of COVID-19 and encouraged visitors to check out the latest Health travel information.

Last week, the State Department released a shelter in place Warn to US citizens with reports of “multiple vehicle fires, roadblocks, and intense police activity” in Tijuana and the surrounding area.

Mexico’s President Lopez Obrador urges calm amid cartel violence, US government employees asked to shelter where they are

Reforma reports that approximately 350 National Guard troops have been flown in to support the thousands of federal troops already in Baja California.

While no injuries were reported in Tijuana, the crime complicated traffic around the city and temporarily blocked access to the US border crossing.

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Here is a list of Mexican states in which it is not recommended to travel at this time:

Do not travel to:

• Colima State because of crime and kidnapping.
• Guerrero State because of the crime.
• Michoacan state for crime and kidnapping.
• Sinaloa state for crime and kidnapping
• Tamaulipas state because of crime and kidnapping.
• Zacatecas state because of crime and kidnapping.

Reconsider traveling to:

• Baja California because of crime and kidnapping.
• Chihuahua state for crime and kidnapping.
• Durango for crime.
• Guanajuato state for crime and kidnapping.
• Jalisco state because of crime and kidnapping.
• Morelos state because of the crime.
• Sonora state for crime and kidnapping.

Extra caution when traveling to:

• State of Aguascalientes due to crime.
• Baja california sur state due to crime.
• Chiapas state for crime.
• Coahuila state for crime.
• Hidalgo’s case because of the crime.
• Mexico City because of the crime.
• State of Mexico for the crime.
• Nayarit state because of the crime.
• State of Nuevo León due to crime and kidnapping.
• Oaxaca state because of the crime.
• State of Puebla due to crime and kidnapping.
• Queretaro state because of the crime.
• Quintana Roo state for crime and kidnapping.
• State of San Luis Potosi for crime and kidnapping.
• The state of Tabasco because of the crime.
• The state of Tlaxcala because of the crime.
• Veracruz state because of the crime.