Texas Issues Travel Advisory for Mexico, Urges Against Travel During Spring Break

As Americans gear up to travel for spring break, the fallout from the kidnapping of four Americans traveling to northern Mexico continues.

On Friday, the Texas Department of Public Safety (DPS) issued its own travel advisory for Mexico, urging Texans to avoid traveling to the country during spring break “due to the ongoing violence throughout that country.”

“Drug cartel violence and other criminal activity represent a significant safety threat to anyone who crosses into Mexico right now,” said DPS Director Steven McCraw in the DPS Mexico travel advisory. “We have a duty to inform the public about safety, travel risks, and threats. Based on the volatile nature of cartel activity and the violence we are seeing there, we are urging individuals to avoid travel to Mexico at this time.”

The warning comes 10 days after four Americans who were traveling to Mexico for cosmetic surgery were kidnapped in Matamoros, Tamaulipas, one of the regions on the U.S. State Department’s “Do Not Travel” list, and one of the regions that Canada advises its citizens to avoid all travel to.

“DPS understands many people do travel to Mexico without incident, but the serious risks cannot be ignored. All travelers are encouraged to carefully research any planned trips and, again, consider postponing or canceling travel to Mexico at this time,” the advisory reads.

The Texas DPS cited other advisories, including the U.S. State Department’s travel advisory, in its own announcement. The State Department warning advises Americans to be aware of the crime in certain parts of the country.

“Violent crime – such as homicide, kidnapping, carjacking, and robbery – is widespread and common in Mexico,” the warning reads. “The U.S. government has limited ability to provide emergency services to U.S. citizens in many areas of Mexico, as travel by U.S. government employees to certain areas is prohibited or restricted. In many states, local emergency services are limited outside the state capital or major cities.”

The advisory isn’t the same for all of Mexico; it is specific to regions. There are six states that the U.S. is warning not to travel to – Colima, Guerrero, Michoacan, Sinaloa, Tamaulipas, and Zacatecas. Tamaulipas is the region where the most recent incident took place.

Then, there are seven states that the U.S. is warning Americans to “reconsider” travel to – Baja California, Chihuahua, Durango, Guanajuato, Jalisco, Morelos, and Sonora.

Everywhere else in Mexico is either categorized under the “exercise increased caution” or “exercise normal precautions” banners. That includes some tourist hotspots like Quintana Roo, Mexico City, and Baja California Sur.