The United States Department of State (DoS) updated its annual travel alert to Mexico on Thursday, June 17, 2021, in which it recommended its citizens reconsider traveling to Mexico due to the prevalence of Covid-19 and a high rate of violence and insecurity.
The US State Department kept Mexico at risk level 3 (reconsider traveling), the same as last year’s warning. However, the U.S. briefly raised Mexico’s risk level to four on April 21, 2021.
At the state level, there were entities that were classified with a higher level of risk due to violence in their territories and half of the country, 16 entities, “with risk of kidnapping” for US citizens. While Campeche and Yucatán have the lowest risk scale, according to the DoS.
“The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention issued a level 3 travel health advisory for Mexico due to Covid-19, indicating a high level (of the disease) in the country. Your risk of contracting Covid-19 and developing severe symptoms may be lower if you are fully vaccinated with a vaccine authorized by the FDA (Food and Drug Administration),” the alert noted.
Regarding insecurity, DoS stated: “Violent crimes, such as homicide, kidnapping, vehicle theft, and robbery, are widespread and common in Mexico. The United States government has limited capacity to provide emergency services to U.S. citizens in many areas of Mexico, as travel by government employees to certain areas is prohibited or restricted. In many states, local emergency services are limited outside the state capital or major cities.”
At level 4 (do not travel), five entities remain as a year ago: Sinaloa, for crime and kidnappings; Colima, Guerrero, Michoacán, and Tamaulipas, for crimes and kidnappings.
In this annual report, Baja California and Guanajuato were rated with a higher level of risk than in 2020, they went from level 2 (exercise greater caution when traveling) to level 3 (reconsider the trip). On this alert scale are nine other entities: Chihuahua, Coahuila, Durango, Jalisco, the state of Mexico, Morelos, Nayarit, Sonora and Zacatecas.
At level 2 alert, there are 14 entities: Aguascalientes, Baja California Sur, Chiapas, Hidalgo, Mexico City, Nuevo León, Oaxaca, Puebla, Querétaro, Quintana Roo, San Luis Potosí, Tabasco, Tlaxcala and Veracruz. It should be noted that Nuevo León and San Luis went from level 3 to 2.
Unlike the 2020 report, this year there are two Mexican states with level 1 (usual precautions when traveling): Campeche and Yucatán, which a year ago were considered level 2.
In the kidnapping risk indicator of this travel alert for US citizens, 16 states appear: Colima, Guerrero, Michoacán, Sinaloa, Tamaulipas, Baja California, Chihuahua, Coahuila, Jalisco, State of Mexico, Morelos, Sonora, Zacatecas, Mexico City , Nuevo León and Puebla.
