Texas state officials urge residents to avoid travel to Mexico
Published May 20, 2023, 5:20 a.m. by Naomi Charles
As the number of Americans traveling to Mexico continues to rise, Texas state officials are urging residents to avoid travel to the country.
In a statement released Wednesday, the Texas Department of State health Services said that while the overall level of violence in Mexico has decreased in recent years, "the risk of travel to Mexico remains high."
The department cited the murders of nine U.S. citizens in Mexico in January as well as the recent kidnapping of a U.S. citizen in the Mexican state of Guerrero as examples of the dangers that still exist.
"We continue to receive reports of U.S. citizens being victimized in Mexico, including reports of violent crimes such as murder, kidnapping, carjacking, and sexual assault," the statement said.
The department advised travelers to consult the State Department's travel advisories for Mexico before making any plans to travel there.
The U.S. State Department currently has a "Level 2: Exercise Increased Caution" travel advisory for Mexico, which means travelers should be aware of the potential for crime and violence.
"Violent crime, such as homicide, kidnapping, carjacking, and robbery, is widespread," the advisory said. "The U.S. government has limited ability to provide emergency services to U.S. citizens in many areas of Mexico as U.S. government employees are prohibited from traveling to these areas."
In addition to the risks posed by crime, the advisory also warned of the dangers of traveling to areas that are known to have been affected by hurricanes in recent months.
"Hurricane damage has made some areas unsafe," the advisory said. "Roads and bridges may have been damaged or destroyed, making travel difficult or impossible."
Despite the risks, the number of Americans traveling to Mexico has been on the rise in recent years. According to the latest data from the U.S. Department of Commerce, more than 19 million Americans traveled to Mexico in 2017, a nearly 5 percent increase from the previous year.
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BUT NOW OFFICIALS IN TEXAS SAY RECENT VIOLENCE HAS MADE
TEXAS SAY RECENT VIOLENCE HAS MADE MEXICO MUCH TOO
VIOLENCE HAS MADE MEXICO MUCH TOO DANGEROUS.
MEXICO MUCH TOO DANGEROUS. GUAD VENEGAS HAS THE
DANGEROUS. GUAD VENEGAS HAS THE LATEST.
GUAD VENEGAS HAS THE LATEST. >> Reporter: AS SPRING
LATEST. >> Reporter: AS SPRING BREAKERS FLOOD POPULAR
>> Reporter: AS SPRING BREAKERS FLOOD POPULAR DESTINATIONS IN
BREAKERS FLOOD POPULAR DESTINATIONS IN MEXICO.
DESTINATIONS IN MEXICO. >> VACATION IS
MEXICO. >> VACATION IS BEAUTIFUL.
>> VACATION IS BEAUTIFUL. IT'S PARADISE.
BEAUTIFUL. IT'S PARADISE. >> Reporter: TONIGHT
IT'S PARADISE. >> Reporter: TONIGHT TEXAS STATE OFFICIALS
>> Reporter: TONIGHT TEXAS STATE OFFICIALS URGING RESIDENTS TO
TEXAS STATE OFFICIALS URGING RESIDENTS TO AVOID TRAVEL TO THE
URGING RESIDENTS TO AVOID TRAVEL TO THE COUNTRY.
AVOID TRAVEL TO THE COUNTRY. THE DEPARTMENT OF
COUNTRY. THE DEPARTMENT OF PUBLIC SAFETY SAYING
THE DEPARTMENT OF PUBLIC SAFETY SAYING DRUG CARTEL VIOLENCE
PUBLIC SAFETY SAYING DRUG CARTEL VIOLENCE AND OTHER CRIMINAL
DRUG CARTEL VIOLENCE AND OTHER CRIMINAL ACTIVITY REPRESENT A
AND OTHER CRIMINAL ACTIVITY REPRESENT A SIGNIFICANT THREAT.
ACTIVITY REPRESENT A SIGNIFICANT THREAT. >> OBVIOUSLY, THE
SIGNIFICANT THREAT. >> OBVIOUSLY, THE BORDER'S A VERY
>> OBVIOUSLY, THE BORDER'S A VERY DIFFERENT PLACE THAN
BORDER'S A VERY DIFFERENT PLACE THAN CANCUN.
DIFFERENT PLACE THAN CANCUN. IT'S MUCH MORE TOURIST
CANCUN. IT'S MUCH MORE TOURIST BASED, SO IT FEELS A
IT'S MUCH MORE TOURIST BASED, SO IT FEELS A LOT MORE HOMEY AND
BASED, SO IT FEELS A LOT MORE HOMEY AND SAFER HERE.
LOT MORE HOMEY AND SAFER HERE. >> Reporter: THE
SAFER HERE. >> Reporter: THE ADVISORY COMING AFTER
>> Reporter: THE ADVISORY COMING AFTER FOUR AMERICANS FROM
ADVISORY COMING AFTER FOUR AMERICANS FROM KIDNAPPED AND TWO OF
FOUR AMERICANS FROM KIDNAPPED AND TWO OF THEM KILLED IN MEXICO.
KIDNAPPED AND TWO OF THEM KILLED IN MEXICO. >> MEXICO, HERE WE
THEM KILLED IN MEXICO. >> MEXICO, HERE WE COME.
>> MEXICO, HERE WE COME. >> Reporter: THE VIDEO
COME. >> Reporter: THE VIDEO SHOWING THE GROUP ON
>> Reporter: THE VIDEO SHOWING THE GROUP ON THEIR JOURNEY BEFORE
SHOWING THE GROUP ON THEIR JOURNEY BEFORE THE ATTACK.
THEIR JOURNEY BEFORE THE ATTACK. YET, THE U.S.
THE ATTACK. YET, THE U.S. DEPARTMENT OF STATE'S
YET, THE U.S. DEPARTMENT OF STATE'S LATEST GUIDANCE ONLY
DEPARTMENT OF STATE'S LATEST GUIDANCE ONLY LISTS SIX MIX CAN
LATEST GUIDANCE ONLY LISTS SIX MIX CAN STATES UNDER A
LISTS SIX MIX CAN STATES UNDER A DO-NOT-TRAVEL
STATES UNDER A DO-NOT-TRAVEL ADVISORY, DESTINATIONS
DO-NOT-TRAVEL ADVISORY, DESTINATIONS LIKE CABO AND CANCUN
ADVISORY, DESTINATIONS LIKE CABO AND CANCUN REMAIN IN A LEVEL TWO
LIKE CABO AND CANCUN REMAIN IN A LEVEL TWO ADVISORY, URGING
REMAIN IN A LEVEL TWO ADVISORY, URGING PEOPLE TO USE EXTREME
ADVISORY, URGING PEOPLE TO USE EXTREME CAUTION.
PEOPLE TO USE EXTREME CAUTION. >> TAKE EVERYTHING ON
CAUTION. >> TAKE EVERYTHING ON A CASE BY CASE BASIS.
>> TAKE EVERYTHING ON A CASE BY CASE BASIS. THIS IS AN INDIVIDUAL
A CASE BY CASE BASIS. THIS IS AN INDIVIDUAL DECISION THAT HAS TO
THIS IS AN INDIVIDUAL DECISION THAT HAS TO BE MADE BASED ON WHAT
DECISION THAT HAS TO BE MADE BASED ON WHAT YOU LEARN ABOUT THE
BE MADE BASED ON WHAT YOU LEARN ABOUT THE RESORT AREA YOU ARE
YOU LEARN ABOUT THE RESORT AREA YOU ARE GOING TO.
RESORT AREA YOU ARE GOING TO. STAY AWAY FROM LEVEL
GOING TO. STAY AWAY FROM LEVEL FOUR STATE DEPARTMENT,
STAY AWAY FROM LEVEL FOUR STATE DEPARTMENT, DO-NOT-TRAVEL STATES.
FOUR STATE DEPARTMENT, DO-NOT-TRAVEL STATES. RECONSIDER ANY TRAVEL
DO-NOT-TRAVEL STATES. RECONSIDER ANY TRAVEL TO THE LEVEL THREE
RECONSIDER ANY TRAVEL TO THE LEVEL THREE CATEGORY STATES, FROM
TO THE LEVEL THREE CATEGORY STATES, FROM THE STATE DEPARTMENT.
CATEGORY STATES, FROM THE STATE DEPARTMENT. >> Reporter: BACK THIS
THE STATE DEPARTMENT. >> Reporter: BACK THIS TEXAS, THE FBI IS ALSO
>> Reporter: BACK THIS TEXAS, THE FBI IS ALSO INVESTIGATING THE
TEXAS, THE FBI IS ALSO INVESTIGATING THE DISAPPEARANCE OF THREE
INVESTIGATING THE DISAPPEARANCE OF THREE U.S. RESIDENTS WHO
DISAPPEARANCE OF THREE U.S. RESIDENTS WHO CROSSED INTO MEXICO
U.S. RESIDENTS WHO CROSSED INTO MEXICO THREE WEEKS AGO AND
CROSSED INTO MEXICO THREE WEEKS AGO AND NEVER RETURNED.
THREE WEEKS AGO AND NEVER RETURNED. >> THEY WERE GOING
NEVER RETURNED. >> THEY WERE GOING TOWARD A FLEA MARKET
>> THEY WERE GOING TOWARD A FLEA MARKET TO SELL SOME CLOTHING
TOWARD A FLEA MARKET TO SELL SOME CLOTHING ARTICLES.
TO SELL SOME CLOTHING ARTICLES. >> Reporter: YET
ARTICLES. >> Reporter: YET THOUSANDS OF AMERICANS
>> Reporter: YET THOUSANDS OF AMERICANS ARE EXPECTED TO ARRIVE
THOUSANDS OF AMERICANS ARE EXPECTED TO ARRIVE AT MEXICAN HOT SPOT
ARE EXPECTED TO ARRIVE AT MEXICAN HOT SPOT DESTINATIONS.
AT MEXICAN HOT SPOT DESTINATIONS. AND FOR THOSE THAT ARE
DESTINATIONS. AND FOR THOSE THAT ARE TRAVELING TO MEXICO,
AND FOR THOSE THAT ARE TRAVELING TO MEXICO, IT'S RECOMMENDED TO
