State Department warns against travel to Mexico, urges Americans to avoid parts of Chihuahua
By Daniel Borunda \ El Paso Times
Posted: 04/13/2010 12:00:00 AM MDT
http://www.elpasotimes.com/news/ci_14872301

"The U.S. State Department re-issued a travel warning for Mexico on Monday, cautioning Americans to avoid unnecessary travel to parts of the state of Chihuahua, including the Valley of Juárez.

A "travel warning" is more severe than the previously issued travel alerts. The State Department said travel warnings are issued due to long-term, protracted conditions that make a country dangerous or unstable.

The warning cited drug violence in various regions of northern Mexico. The warning specifically mentioned Juárez, the Valley of Juárez and the northwestern part of state of Chihuahua, which have been a battleground in a fight between drug cartels.

The current Mexico warning was issued March 14 and renewed Monday. Mexico is listed along such countries as Haiti, Colombia and many nations from the Middle East and Africa.

A few weeks ago, Juárez officials said that security was being increased in tourist zones in an effort to lure back visitors to what is the most dangerous city in Mexico.

Federal police last week took over control from the military of Coordinated Operation Chihuahua in the city.

About 670 people have been killed this year in Juárez, raising the total to about 4,900 people slain in the Juárez area since 2008.

On Monday evening, the killings continued. A man identified as Saul Garcia was shot and killed by gunmen with AK-47s in the Felipe Angeles area in west Juárez.

In another case, a woman was shot and killed while sitting down at a car race on

Sunday night. Chihuahua state police identified her as 34-year-old Claudia Mora Quintana.
A Juárez news Web site showed a message left spray-painted on a wall stating, "And we also killed Claudia Mora the one who was with the AA. Sincerely, the Juárez cartel."

AA refers to the Artistas Asesinos or Artist Assassins gang that is apparently allied with the rival Sinaloa drug cartel."