Month: August 2022

Americans are being warned not to travel to several states in Mexico because of the increased risk of crime and kidnapping.

The US State Department reissued a travel advisory on Wednesday, recommending that US citizens do not travel to six Mexican states: Colima, Guerrero, Michoacán, Sinaloa, Tamaulipas, and Zacatecas. The last state was added this year in the annual advisory.

The State Department advised travelers to reconsider plans to go to seven other states, including Baja California, home to Tijuana. US workers there were told to shelter in place last week following a string of violence in which vehicles were set on fire.

US Ambassador to Mexico Ken Salazar said in a statement the travel advisory underscores the binational work needed to improve security in Mexico.

“Without security, there is no prosperity,” Salazar said. “It is important to reaffirm our commitment to citizen safety by providing training and

Travelers from the US may want to reconsider their Mexico travel plans with the US State Department issuing an updated Travel Advisory for travelers, citing an “increased risk of crime and kidnapping.”

The State Department noted that violent crime, such as homicide, kidnappings, carjacking, and robbery, is “widespread and common” in Mexico.

The updated Travel Advisory includes new information on the Coahuila, Mexico, Nayarit, and Zacatecas states.

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

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

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According to the advisory, “US citizens are advised to adhere to restrictions on US government employee travel.” Some restrictions include

The State Department has released a notice warning US citizens of the risk of violent crime, including possible kidnapping, in Mexico and urging them to exercise precautions if they choose to travel to the country.

“Violent crime — such as homicide, kidnapping, carjacking, and robbery — is widespread and common in Mexico,” the State Department wrote in its notice issued Wednesday.

The department added, “The US government has limited ability to provide emergency services to US citizens in many areas of Mexico” due to restrictions on travel to the country by government employees.

The notice outlined restrictions given to US government employees, encouraging all US citizens to adhere to the same precautions.

“US government employees may not travel between cities after dark, may not hail taxis on the street, and must rely on dispatched vehicles, including app-based services like Uber, and regulated taxi stands,” the notice said.

The State Department

The US State Department issued an updated Travel Advisory Wednesday for US travelers visiting Mexico, including new state-level advice and information on “kidnapping risk.”

The agency cited an “increased risk of crime and kidnapping” in certain areas of Mexico.

A spokesperson for the State Department told USA TODAY in an email that the agency regularly reviews all Travel Advisories to ensure US citizens have the most relevant and timely information to make the most informed decisions regarding their safety and security when traveling overseas.

Last week, the State Department issued an alert to US citizens when reports of “multiple vehicle fires, roadblocks, and heavy police activity” surfaced in Tijuana and the surrounding area. On Monday in a press briefing, Department spokesperson Ned Price said there were no reports to share on US citizens being injured or killed in the incident.

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TAMPA, Fla. – Passengers dealt with thousands of canceled or delayed flights over the last several days, and major airlines said the challenges likely won’t ease up anytime soon.

A two-week tour in Europe wrapped with a five-day travel headache for Tampa Bay resident Bonnie Synhorst and others in the Dunedin Symphonic Winds.

“Our first flight got delayed from Prague to Frankfurt, which caused us to come in late to Frankfurt,” said Synhorst. “Because we got in late, they actually gave away our seats.”

When her group finally made it back states to JFK airport in New York City Friday, she said their problems continued.

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“We’re so happy to be back home. We’re like, yeah, we made it finally, and just to be frustrated again. A few hours