Travel agencies warn spring break tourists about Mexico safety risks after surge of cartel violence

As spring break gets underway, travel agencies are issuing their own warnings about travel in Mexico following last month’s cartel attacks.The State Department classifies Mexico at a Level 2 – “exercise increased caution” because of terrorism, crime and kidnapping threats.“Many violent crimes take place in Mexico,” the State Department’s warning issued last summer says.“They include homicide, kidnapping, carjacking, and robbery.

There is a risk of terrorist violence, including terrorist attacks and other activity in Mexico.”The threats also vary from region to region, for instance, the State Department classifies several states in Mexico, including Jalisco and Baja California as Level 3 – “Reconsider travel” and states such as Sinaloa and Colima, where cartel violence is rampant, as Level 4 – “Do not travel.”“Conditions vary significantly by state, and what’s happening in one region may look very different from what travelers are experiencing in a major resort corridor,” AAA said in a recent article on travel to Mexico on its website.“Because of that, safety isn’t a one-size-fits-all answer; it’s a personal decision best made with up-to-date, destination-specific information.”The travel agency noted that “ongoing cartel conflicts in parts of Mexico led to temporary spikes in violence,” recently, “prompting heightened US security alerts, including shelter-in-place notices in some popular resort regions.”“According to US Embassy alerts, these incidents are typically tied to localized security operations involving Mexican authorities and criminal groups,” AAA added.

“While most tourist visits to Mexico occur without incident, short-term flare-ups underscore why travelers should review current, destination-specific guidance before departure.”Nemesio “El Mencho” Oseguera Cervantes, the leader of the Cartel Jalisco Nueva Generación, was killed in a Mexican military operation helped by US intelligence ...