Mar 15, 2010

State Dept. travel warning for Mexico provides grim picture of drug violence

12:54 PM
By Pedro Pardo

Three Americans connected to the U.S. Consulate in Ciudad Juarez were killed on Sunday in what appeared to be a hit by a drug gang.

See the full State Department report here and a special Spring Break advisory here.

The travel warning notes that the State Department has authorized the departure of the dependents of U.S. government personnel from U.S. consulates in the Northern Mexican border cities of Tijuana, Nogales, Ciudad Juarez, Nuevo Laredo, Monterrey and Matamoros until April 12.

An excerpt:

While millions of U.S. citizens safely visit Mexico each year (including tens of thousands who cross the land border daily for study, tourism or business and nearly one million U.S. citizens who live in Mexico), violence in the country has increased. It is imperative that U.S. citizens understand the risks in Mexico, how best to avoid dangerous situations, and who to contact if victimized. Common-sense precautions such as visiting only legitimate business and tourist areas during daylight hours, and avoiding areas where prostitution and drug dealing might occur, can help ensure that travel to Mexico is safe and enjoyable.

It says the recent violent attacks have prompted the U.S. Embassy to urge Americans to delay travel to parts of Durango, Coahuila and Chihuahua states and to advise U.S. citizens residing or traveling in those areas to exercise "extreme caution."

"Drug cartels and associated criminal elements have retaliated violently against individuals who speak out against them or whom they otherwise view as a threat to their organizations," the warning says. "These attacks include the abduction and murder of two resident U.S. citizens in Chihuahua."

It says some recent confrontations between Mexican authorities and drug cartel members "have resembled small-unit combat, with cartels employing automatic weapons and grenades."

The violence has taken a big toll on trips by U.S. hunters to Mexico, which has a later hunting season and generous bag limit. Hunting outfitters note an 60% drop in trips to Mexico, where hunters normally will spend as much as $5,000 a day.

http://content.usatoday.com/communities ... violence/1