Eight Bodies Found in Cancun, State Department Warns Against Travel to Mexico

I think some areas of Mexico are safer than others, but travelers still should exercise caution.

I want to be careful on this topic because there's a lot of conflating issues here.

1. Most Mexicans are NOT criminals (or thieves or drug dealers or rapists).

2. Most Mexicans are NOT members of cartels.

3. Most Mexicans are NOT involved in smuggling immigrants thru the country or to our border. 

4. Most Mexicans are NOT targeting travelers from other countries.

5. Americans and others who choose to go to Mexico for health care or plastic surgery are taking their lives into their own hands, because Mexico has different medical safety standards than we do.

6. AMLO, the current president of Mexico, is a populist who seems not to care too much about what happens in regards to the cartels nor American tourists, let alone immigrants passing through.

7. Most tourists who go to populated tourist areas will be completely safe unless they take stupid risks.

I had not planned on going to Mexico, and I won't this year. But there are lots of factors to consider, and we must not fall for racist or xenophobic tropes about our southern neighbor because there are lots of great areas and great people to visit.

Travel warnings from 9 countries about traveling to US due to gun violence.

Australia

"The Australian government warns its citizens who plan to visit the United States that violent crime is more common than in Australia and gun crime is possible in all areas. It instructs Australians to follow local guidance and instructions. They're encouraged to learn active shooter drills if they live in the United States."

United Kingdom

"the UK warns its citizens away from inappropriate humor: "Don't make flippant remarks about bombs or terrorism, especially when passing through US airports."

"incidents of mass shooting can occur"

Israel

"United States is rated at 01 ("ordinary precautions") despite a rise in anti-Semitic incidents."

France

"the ministry breaks down potential threats to specific neighborhoods... it does warn French citizens about some urban areas and notes an increase in carjackings....A couple of examples:

• In Boston, "it is recommended to avoid traveling alone, on foot and at night, in certain parts of Dorchester, Mattapan and Roxbury."

• In Atlanta, French visitors are told to "be vigilant in isolated areas of the city center (downtown) after the close of business and favor taxi travel at night."

Germany

"...Ministry of Foreign Affairs tells German citizens that "it is easy to obtain guns in the United States, leading to increased use of guns and occasional killing sprees. The number of arms and ammunition purchases has increased significantly during the COVID-19 crisis."

"It also warns would-be visitors to the US about the possibilities of domestic clashes over racism and police violence, advising them to "avoid gatherings of people in the vicinity of which violence could possibly occur."

Mexico

"...historical racial and ethnic tension, including opposition to immigration, have led to attacks by violent extremist groups" and then cited the mass shooting at an El Paso, Texas, Wal-Mart in 2019, in which more than 20 people were killed."

"The government advised its citizens to avoid large crowds in the United States and for travelers to always carry a copy of their Mexican passport and an official photo ID."

" (For instance, one of the people killed in the mass shooting at the Highland Park, Illinois, July Fourth parade in 2022 was a Mexican national visiting family.)"

Japan 

"it is important to recognize that the security situation is very different between the United States and Japan, and to understand what kind of crime victims are at high risk in what areas."

"It says "one of the main security concerns in the United States is gun crime" and offers a lot of advice for getting out of or hunkering down in possible active shooter situations, including:

• "Find security exits in a new place and have an evacuation plan"
• "Hide in a room and barricade the door using heavy furniture"
• "Keep quiet and mute cell phones"

"If a Japanese tourist can't escape or hide, they're advised to "throw things close to the criminal, use them as weapons."

New Zealand

"there is a higher incidence of violent crime and firearm possession than in New Zealand. In many states, it is legal for United States citizens to openly carry firearms in public. However, crime rates vary considerably across cities and suburbs."

"It suggests that people coming to the United States research their specific destinations before traveling and seek local advice."

"SAFETRAVEL guides New Zealanders to an active shooter response pamphlet put out by the US Cybersecurity & Infrastructure Security Agency."

https://amp.cnn.com/cnn/travel/article/travel-warnings-other-countries-us-violence/index.html

Travel warnings: What other nations say about US violence

From Australia to the United Kingdom, CNN Travel looks at what other governments tell their citizen...

https://www.cnn.com/travel/article/travel-warnings-other-countries-us-violence/index.html

I went to Mexico in February. My husband and I had a wonderful time. We traveled by Uber to downtown areas sand not "so touristy" spots. We had no problem. We love Mexican people, their culture, the food, the weather and I happen to have a good friend who immigrated there!  

You need to be careful wherever you travel...even in the USA!

Everyone should be mindful and do some research on where they are going. Where it's safe, what part of said place is safe, etc. no matter where in the world they are going. Duh. It's not someone else's responsibility to tell you. 

if you are going on spring break and your brain has yet to grow together to form this critical thinking skill, have mommy or daddy do this for you.

Side note: Acapulco, once a go to vacation destination, has not been considered safe for quite some time.

Is it any safer here than than there?

Over the years when traveling with friends that have security clearances so we needed permission from employers to travel abroad the evaluation and approval was on a city-by-city basis. One year we were approved for Puerto Vallarta & Matzatlan but not Acapulco. Once we approved for a city if we only left the hotel on escorted tours no self tours.

 Besides checking state department advisories, we used iJet (now WorldAware) travel advisory which sells services to corporations, World Bank, IMF, etc.

 https://www.travelweekly.com/Travel-News/Travel-Agent-Issues/iJet-changes-name-to-WorldAware

iJet changes name to WorldAware

The travel risk management company has made acquisitions over the past year, prompting the change.

https://www.travelweekly.com/Travel-News/Travel-Agent-Issues/iJet-changes-name-to-WorldAware

Legislators,
Please get in touch with the State Department and have it reissue the advisory by a list of the involved major cities. Many, if not most, Americans do not know Mexican states, they are far more familar with the names of cities, e.g. Alcapulco, Cançun, Mexico City, etc,

Also if someone has booked Spring Break in a Level 2 area, should the government get involved to help students and their families get full refunds?

Again State was very late issuing this advisory. 

Best Regards. 

I travel to Mexico a lot and feel safer in Mexico with the cartels than I do in the US with all the guns, QANON and proud boys militias and crazies. 

It's ironic that we're keeping sending money to these countries who have problems but don't question their integrity or else 

yes, if I could afford to go-yes.

Back in the late 1970'S I lived with the Mexican People in Iowa and I can tell you they are good people and the girls can cook food to die for as the recipes were used over 200 years ago handed down through time . Today I would not go to Mexico as the violence caused by drugs is out of control like it's here in many parts of the USA with the use of illegal guns used by drug gangs. This violence would get decreased greatly if the governments would make it a life sentence for selling illegal guns and drugs but first the government needs to get on board and stop wagging their tongues with red tape .

How dumb to go to Mexico - anywhere in Mexico.  This is all your doing letting the Cartels and China - your bosses push human trafficking and drugs into this nation. 

You are all to blame, you all have blood on your hands for the border issue. Most of you should be tried for these crimes and prosecuted to the fullest extent.  While your money is used to move every illegal back to whatever country we can drop them off to. 

Your fault... 

I have several Mexican friends and they have warned me. Don't go to Mexico and have said they would not go even if they could. They have told me that the entire country is out of control.

Self-awareness 🤔

Why take a risk with the known crime issues? Gangs and drug money rule.   Of course many of our larger cities are not much better.  Sad

I've been living in LA for over 8 years. At some point, I do want to take a trip at least to Tijuana, simply because it's close and I've never been anywhere in Mexico. That said, I'd have to do a bunch of research first to make sure I stay in the "safe" areas. And I'd have to renew my passport. So would I visit Mexico? Probably. When? No idea.

We had a trip planned to the Dominican Republic  when they had their problem with mysterious deaths there a few years ago.  It is funny as we changed our plans to Mexico.  I would hesitate to go to Cancun, and several other Mexican tourist locations right now!!

Never wanted to go so nothing to reconsider.  European vacations I like 

I'd say yes, would reconsider, to Cancun but there are lots of other places to go without any concern. 

Better than New York

Thanks to our president and the members of congress and senate over the last 4 years, I can't afford to visit Mexico, so nothing to reconsider. 

Perhaps in Mexico its expected

first fix usa ! how many mass shootings a day? 

america has become stupid on guns 

stop pointing fingers at other countries when you have repugnant republicans destroying this country - 'conservative patriots' they call themselves? 

shame on congress

shame on the

I send Cruz to Cancun 

I think Florida is too dangerous for Spring Break, and I wish the US would issue a travel advisory about that. 

People are losing their rights, especially women, people of color, and the LGBTQ community.

Partiers in Miami are being shot and a curfew has now been put into place.

And a huge mass of seaweed is heading to their shores, blocking up the beaches on the Atlantic coast.

They clearly have big problems in Florida, and it seems too unsafe to go there.

I had no plans to visit Mexico regardless.

No. I don't plan to visit some cities in America because they are just as dangerous as Mexico. With criminals being released early and democratic politicians soft on crime and being paid off by George Soros we are in no better shape than Mexico.