The latest travel warning for Mexico, issued by the U.S. State Department on Nov. 20, contained no essential changes or surprises from the last warning that was issued on Feb. 8, 2012.
While the new warning does not apply to most tourism destinations, it does continue to caution against nonessential travel to areas within 19 of Mexico's 32 states due to continued narcotics-related violence in Mexico, particularly in areas near the U.S.-Mexico border.
As in the February warning, the language in the latest warning is far more specific and the warnings more targeted than in the warnings that preceded the February one.
The current warning contains a state-by-state security assessment, listing specific cities, highways and border areas considered unsafe for travel. A detailed map indicates which cities and states are considered safe for travel and do not fall within the warning zone.
The State Department said there are no travel advisories for Mexico City, Cancun, Riviera Maya, Cozumel, Playa del Carmen, Merida, Tulum, Chichen Itza, Cabo San Lucas, La Paz, Guadalajara, Manzanillo, Puerto Vallarta, Riviera Nayarit, Oaxaca, Huatulco, Villahermosa, San Miguel de Allende and Leon.
The State Department advised that Mazatlan travelers should “exercise caution, particularly late at night and in the early morning,” and that U.S. citizens should defer nonessential travel to the rest of the state of Sinaloa.
Likewise, the State Department said travelers should “exercise caution” in Monterrey and defer nonessential travel to the rest of the state of Nuevo Leon.
In Tijuana and Mexicali, travelers should “exercise caution, particularly at night,” the State Department said. “Turf battles between criminal groups resulted in assassinations in areas of Tijuana frequented by U.S. citizens. Shooting incidents, in which innocent bystanders have been injured, have occurred during daylight hours.”
In Acapulco, the U.S. recommends that citizens should “defer nonessential travel to areas further than two blocks inland of the Costera Miguel Aleman Boulevard, which parallels the popular beach areas. In general, the popular tourist area of Diamante, just south of the city, has been less affected by violence.”
The State Department recommends flying to the destinations of Ixtapa and Zihuatanejo, rather than driving to them from Acapulco or Mexico City, especially at night.
Cities that U.S. citizens should avoid include Ciudad Juarez, Chihuahua, Torreon, Saltillo, Tampico and Nogales, said the State Department. They should “exercise caution” in Veracruz, Zacatecas and San Luis Potosi.