The U.S. Embassy Has Issued a Spring Break Mexico Travel Warning
The government is continuing to warn Americans about Mexico travel.
In addition to the US State Department-issued Mexico travel warning and a separate advisory from the Texas Department of Public Safety, which both remain in effect, the US government this week felt the need to reiterate its position on Mexico travel, this time specifically targeting the spring break period.
On March 13, the US Embassy & Consulates in Mexico released a statement warning Americans to consider a few important factors when planning to travel to the southwestern country.
"Each year, thousands of US citizens visit Mexico during spring break," reads the advisory. "While the vast majority travel safely, visitors should consider the following factors when planning their vacation or traveling throughout Mexico."
The presence of crime, illegal possession of drugs, and unregulated alcohol are only some of the listed factors that travelers should be aware of and thoughtfully consider. Americans planning to visit Mexico are also encouraged to read the current Mexico travel advisory to learn about specific information for each Mexican state. Popular spring break destinations, including Cancun, Playa Del Carmen, and Tulum, currently belong on the "Exercise Normal Caution" list, but according to the US Embassy & Consulates advisory, travelers should actually exercise increased caution when visiting the downtown areas of those locations. Other states are listed as "Do Not Travel." You can read the full list of factors mentioned in the advisory right here.
In addition to what to look out for, the advisory also advises travelers on actions to take when visiting Mexico for spring break. Enrolling in the State Department's Smart Traveler Enrollment Program is highly encouraged, as is making sure that your health insurance covers you in Mexico. Other pieces of advice involve more mundane and leisurely activities that would apply to pretty much any travel destination, including avoiding strong currents when swimming, drinking responsibly, and monitoring your credit or debit card accounts.
While it's always better to be safe than sorry, the US government recently faced some backlash due to its travel warnings and advisories targeting Mexico. On Monday, a week after the tragic incidents in the Mexican city of Matamoros, Mexico's president Andrés Manuel López Obrador said that the US is actually more dangerous than Mexico, and condemned the US government-issued travel warnings and advisories, the Associated Press reports.
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