The Foreign Office has warned against “all but essential” travel to parts of Mexico due to safety concerns. It comes as US tourists have also been told not to travel to multiple Mexican cities due to “increasingly frequent gun battles”.
Warnings from the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO) regarding the North American country that were set in October were ruled “still current” today.
They encompass a number of specific areas within Mexico amid concerns over the risk of crime and violence.
Similarly, travellers from the United States have been deterred from travelling to parts of Mexico, which is often a popular destination for spring break.
As reported by The Independent, the Tamaulipas region, bordering Texas and the Gulf of Mexico, has a level 4, “do not travel” warning in place by US officials due to violent crime and kidnapping.
Affected cities in the Tamaulipas region include Reynosa, Rio Bravo, Valle Hermoso, San Fernando. On January 27, the US embassy in Mexico said: “The US Consulate is aware of increasingly frequent gun battles occurring in and around Reynosa in the late night and early morning hours.”
As a result, travellers in the area have been warned to stick to paved roads, not touch unknown objects, travel during daylight hours and notify friends and family of their safety.
The embassy explained that criminal organisations are “increasingly” manufacturing IEDs in the region, with an official government vehicle destroyed in Rio Bravo, injuring one, earlier last month.
Brits have been cautioned that their travel insurance could be invalidated if you travel against advice from the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO).
Areas where FCDO advises against all but essential travel include:
- Parts of the city of Tijuana
- Parts of the state of Chihuahua
- Parts of state of Sinaloa
- Parts of the state of Tamaulipas
- Areas south-west of the road 45D, in the state of Guanajuato
- Parts of the state of Michoacán
- Parts of the state of Jalisco
- Parts of the state of Colima
- Parts of the state of Guerrero
- Parts of the state of Chiapas.
If you are planning to travel to any of these areas or Mexico in general you should check the latest FCDO advice here before flying. Failing to adhere to FCDO warnings could not only put you in danger but invalidate your travel insurance.
Regarding violence in Mexico, the FCO said: “Drug-related violence in Mexico has increased over recent years. Do not become involved with drugs of any kind.
“Some areas of Mexico have a high crime rate due to fighting between rival organised crime gangs. In these areas, there is a risk of being caught in the crossfire or of being mistaken for a gang member.”
To lower your risk of getting involved, the FCDO says you should take advice from local authorities or your hotel, be aware of your surroundings at all times, use reputable tourism or transport companies, and travel during the daytime where possible.
This story originally appeared on Express.co.uk
