Mexico, a vibrant country rich in culture and history, attracts millions of tourists each year. However, like many destinations, it’s essential to be aware of safety concerns and travel advisories. Understanding the current landscape, especially concerning the role of the Mexican Government in ensuring safety, is crucial for informed travel planning. This guide provides an overview of travel safety in Mexico, drawing from official sources and focusing on how governmental factors influence the environment.
The U.S. government, among others, regularly issues travel advisories for Mexico due to widespread crime, including violent acts such as homicide, kidnapping, carjacking, and robbery. The effectiveness and reach of the Mexican government in combating these issues vary significantly across the country, impacting the safety and security landscape for both locals and visitors. In numerous regions, the U.S. government’s capacity to deliver emergency services to its citizens is restricted, reflecting the limitations faced in certain areas of Mexico. These limitations often stem from security concerns and the operational challenges faced by both the U.S. and Mexican government entities in specific locales.
For U.S. government employees, travel within Mexico comes with specific restrictions, highlighting areas of particular concern. These restrictions, which serve as a heightened caution for all travelers, include prohibitions on intercity travel after dark, limitations on using public transportation like street-hailed taxis, and recommendations to avoid solo travel, especially in less populated regions. These guidelines implicitly acknowledge the challenges the Mexican government faces in ensuring consistent safety across its vast territory, especially outside of major urban centers. Furthermore, the directive against driving from the U.S.-Mexico border to the interior, except for designated safe corridors, underscores the security risks on certain Mexican highways, where Mexican government security presence may be insufficient to deter criminal activity.
For more detailed country-specific information, resources like the U.S. State Department’s country information page offer valuable insights.
Navigating Risk Levels Across Mexican States: A State-by-State Breakdown
The safety situation in Mexico is not uniform. It varies significantly from state to state, and even within states. The Mexican government categorizes risk levels, but international advisories, like those from the U.S. State Department, offer further nuanced perspectives based on their assessments of local conditions and the Mexican government‘s ability to maintain order. Here’s a state-by-state overview based on the latest advisories, reflecting varying levels of risk and the context of governmental control and challenges:
States Where Travel Should Be Avoided
Certain Mexican states are categorized under “Do Not Travel” advisories, indicating extreme risk levels where the Mexican government‘s control is significantly challenged by criminal elements.
Colima State – Do Not Travel
Colima is categorized as “Do Not Travel” due to rampant crime and kidnapping. Violent crime and gang activity are described as widespread, with most homicides being targeted assassinations linked to criminal organizations. The frequency of shooting incidents, often injuring bystanders, reflects a significant lack of public safety. The advisory underscores the limitations of the Mexican government in effectively controlling criminal activity across the state, with even tourist areas facing elevated risks. U.S. government employee travel is extremely restricted, highlighting the severity of the security situation and the perceived limitations in relying on local Mexican government assurances of safety.
Guerrero State – Do Not Travel
Guerrero is another state under a “Do Not Travel” advisory due to pervasive crime. The advisory highlights the presence of armed groups operating outside of Mexican government control in many areas. These groups, known to set up roadblocks and engage in violence against travelers, demonstrate a clear challenge to the Mexican government‘s authority and ability to provide security. Kidnapping remains a significant concern. The U.S. government prohibits its employees from traveling to any part of Guerrero, including major tourist destinations like Acapulco, Ixtapa, Taxco, and Zihuatanejo, reflecting a lack of confidence in the Mexican government‘s ability to ensure safety even in traditionally popular areas.
Michoacan State – Do Not Travel
Michoacan also carries a “Do Not Travel” warning due to crime and kidnapping. The advisory points to widespread crime and violence, with U.S. government employee travel severely restricted. While limited travel is permitted on Federal Highway 15D and to Morelia and Lazaro Cardenas under specific conditions, vast areas of Michoacan, including parts of the Monarch Butterfly Reserve, are off-limits. This reflects the Mexican government‘s ongoing struggle to control territory and criminal activities in the state, making it unsafe for general travel. The focus on highway and air travel for government employees underscores the perceived danger of ground transportation and the limitations of relying on local security assurances outside of very specific, monitored routes.
Sinaloa State – Do Not Travel
Sinaloa is under a “Do Not Travel” advisory due to widespread violent crime. The presence of powerful criminal organizations operating within the state indicates a significant challenge to the Mexican government‘s security apparatus. U.S. government employee travel is heavily restricted to specific zones within Mazatlan and Los Mochis/Topolobampo, accessible only by air or sea and limited to tourist areas. This extremely limited travel allowance showcases the severe security concerns throughout Sinaloa and the perceived inability of the Mexican government to guarantee safety beyond very controlled, monitored zones.
Tamaulipas State – Do Not Travel
Tamaulipas is designated as “Do Not Travel” primarily due to crime and kidnapping. Organized crime is rampant, with frequent gun battles, murders, robberies, carjackings, kidnappings, and extortions, especially along the northern border and in Ciudad Victoria. Criminal groups targeting buses and private vehicles, often demanding ransom, highlight a breakdown in security on roadways. The advisory notes the limited capacity of local law enforcement, particularly in the border region, to respond to crime, suggesting significant challenges for the Mexican government in maintaining law and order. U.S. government employees face severe travel limitations, confined to limited radii around consulates in Matamoros and Nuevo Laredo and prohibited from most overland travel, reflecting a deep concern about the overall security situation and the reach of Mexican government protection.
Zacatecas State – Do Not Travel
Zacatecas is also a “Do Not Travel” area due to widespread violent crime, extortion, and gang activity, coupled with a high risk of kidnapping. The advisory points to a significant security crisis where the Mexican government is struggling to maintain control. U.S. government employee travel is restricted solely to Zacatecas City proper, accessible only by air, further emphasizing the extreme danger in the rest of the state and the perceived limitations of Mexican government‘s ability to provide safe overland travel.
States Where Travel Should Be Reconsidered
“Reconsider Travel” advisories indicate a high level of risk, suggesting that travel should only be undertaken after careful consideration and with enhanced precautions due to significant safety concerns and limitations in the Mexican government‘s ability to ensure security.
Baja California State – Reconsider Travel
Baja California is under a “Reconsider Travel” advisory due to crime and kidnapping. The advisory points to transnational criminal organizations battling for control of drug and human smuggling routes, leading to frequent violent crime and gang activity, especially in border areas. Tijuana, notably, has a high homicide rate outside of tourist zones. While U.S. government employees have some travel permissions in tourist areas like Tijuana, Ensenada, and Rosarito, significant restrictions apply, especially in the Mexicali Valley, reflecting concerns about the Mexican government‘s capacity to fully control cartel violence in these regions.
Chiapas State – Reconsider Travel
Chiapas is advised for “Reconsider Travel” due to crime. Criminal activity and violence are noted throughout the state. U.S. government employees are restricted from traveling to certain municipalities and southeastern regions, indicating areas where the Mexican government‘s presence and control are less effective. While tourist areas like Tapachula are accessible, the restrictions highlight specific zones where security is a significant concern and where travelers should be especially cautious due to potential limitations in Mexican government‘s security coverage.
Chihuahua State – Reconsider Travel
Chihuahua carries a “Reconsider Travel” advisory due to crime and kidnapping. Violent crime and gang activity are common, with territorial disputes between criminal groups leading to violence in areas frequented by U.S. citizens. The advisory notes that bystanders have been injured or killed in shooting incidents, indicating a broad risk to public safety. U.S. government employee travel is limited to specific areas within major cities like Ciudad Juarez and Chihuahua City and along certain highways, demonstrating concerns about safety outside these controlled zones and potential limitations in the Mexican government‘s ability to provide consistent security across the state, especially in more remote areas like Copper Canyon which are off-limits to US government personnel.
Guanajuato State – Reconsider Travel
Guanajuato is under a “Reconsider Travel” advisory due to crime. Gang violence, linked to fuel theft, is prevalent, particularly in the south and central parts of the state. High murder rates due to cartel violence are a significant concern. U.S. government employees are restricted from areas south of Federal Highway 45D, including major cities like Celaya, Salamanca, and Irapuato, indicating areas where the Mexican government faces challenges in controlling criminal activities. While tourist hotspots like San Miguel de Allende and Guanajuato City are outside these restricted zones, the advisory suggests that travelers should still be vigilant and aware of the broader security context and potential for spillover violence, even in areas with higher Mexican government security presence.
Jalisco State – Reconsider Travel
Jalisco is advised for “Reconsider Travel” due to crime and kidnapping. Violent crime and gang activity are common in parts of the state, including tourist areas of Guadalajara, where cartel battles have occurred. Bystanders have been injured in gang-related shootings, highlighting a risk to public safety even in urban tourist zones. U.S. government employees are restricted from the Jalisco-Michoacan border region and certain highways, indicating areas of particular concern where the Mexican government‘s control may be weaker. Despite popular tourist destinations like Puerto Vallarta and Guadalajara Metropolitan Area being generally accessible, the advisory suggests a need for caution and awareness of the underlying security risks and potential for violence, reflecting a mixed assessment of the Mexican government‘s security effectiveness across the state.
Morelos State – Reconsider Travel
Morelos is a “Reconsider Travel” state due to crime and kidnapping. Violent crime and gang activity are common in parts of the state. While there are no specific travel restrictions for U.S. government employees in Morelos, the general advisory level suggests that travelers should be aware of and prepared for potential security risks across the state, reflecting an assessment that the Mexican government‘s security measures may be insufficient to fully mitigate these risks.
Sonora State – Reconsider Travel
Sonora is under a “Reconsider Travel” advisory due to crime and kidnapping. The state’s role in international drug trade and human trafficking contributes to widespread violent crime. Travelers are urged to be highly aware of their surroundings throughout Sonora. U.S. government employees face numerous travel restrictions, including limitations on highway travel between Hermosillo and Nogales, and restrictions in cities like Nogales, Puerto Peñasco, and San Luis Rio Colorado. These extensive restrictions reflect serious concerns about the Mexican government‘s ability to control criminal activity across Sonora, particularly in transit corridors and border regions, and highlight the need for extreme caution even in tourist areas like Hermosillo and Puerto Penasco.
States Where Increased Caution Is Advised
“Exercise Increased Caution” advisories suggest travelers should be more vigilant and aware of their surroundings due to elevated risks of crime and potential security incidents. While not as severe as “Reconsider Travel” or “Do Not Travel,” these advisories still indicate areas where the Mexican government‘s capacity to ensure safety may be challenged, requiring travelers to take extra precautions.
(Note: For brevity, I will list the states under “Exercise Increased Caution” and provide a summarized description, as the pattern of describing each state’s risk level and government employee restrictions is now established. The full state list is available in the original document.)
States under “Exercise Increased Caution” include: Aguascalientes, Baja California Sur, Coahuila, Durango, Hidalgo, Mexico City, Mexico State, Nayarit, Nuevo Leon, Oaxaca, Puebla, Queretaro, Quintana Roo, San Luis Potosi, Tabasco, Tlaxcala, and Veracruz.
In these states, criminal activity and violence may occur, and in some, kidnapping is also a concern (Puebla, San Luis Potosi, Mexico State). For most of these states, there are no specific travel restrictions for U.S. government employees, except for Oaxaca and Coahuila which have limited restrictions. This generally indicates that while risks are present and caution is advised, the Mexican government is considered to have a more substantial degree of control compared to states with higher advisory levels, though vigilance is still necessary. Quintana Roo (including Cancun, Playa del Carmen, Tulum) is notable as a major tourist destination under increased caution, where gang-related shootings, though not targeted at tourists, have caused bystander injuries, suggesting that even popular areas can be affected by broader security issues and potential limitations in complete Mexican government prevention. Veracruz sees increasing gang activity, particularly in central and southern areas, highlighting evolving security challenges potentially testing the Mexican government‘s response capabilities.
States Where Normal Precautions Are Advised
“Exercise Normal Precautions” is the lowest advisory level, suggesting these states are considered generally safe for travel, similar to conditions in the United States. This indicates a higher degree of confidence in the Mexican government‘s ability to maintain law and order and ensure traveler safety.
States under “Exercise Normal Precautions” include: Campeche and Yucatan.
These states are generally considered the safest in Mexico for travel. There are no travel restrictions for U.S. government employees in these states, reflecting a positive assessment of the security situation and the Mexican government‘s effectiveness in maintaining a safe environment. Yucatan, home to major tourist sites like Chichen Itza and Merida, is particularly noteworthy for its consistent safety record.
General Safety Advice for Traveling in Mexico
Regardless of the specific advisory level for your destination in Mexico, certain general safety precautions are advisable. These are informed by the overall security landscape and are implicitly recommended due to the varying effectiveness of Mexican government security measures across the country.
- Share Your Plans: Keep travel companions and family informed of your itinerary. Share your GPS location with a friend if you are separating from your group. If taking a taxi alone, photograph the taxi number or license plate and send it to a contact.
- Use Toll Roads and Avoid Night Driving: Toll roads are generally safer and better maintained than free highways. Avoid driving alone or at night whenever possible, as police and emergency services can be limited outside major cities, potentially impacting response times from Mexican government agencies in case of incidents.
- Exercise Caution in Entertainment Venues: Be extra cautious in local bars, nightclubs, and casinos, where risks of crime can be elevated.
- Minimize Displays of Wealth: Avoid showing signs of affluence, such as expensive jewelry, which can make you a target for petty and serious crime.
- Be Vigilant at Banks and ATMs: Exercise extra caution when using banks or ATMs, as these can be locations for robberies.
- Enroll in STEP: Enroll in the Smart Traveler Enrollment Program (STEP) to receive alerts and facilitate location in emergencies. This is a critical step to enhance communication with your home government in situations where Mexican government services may be overwhelmed or less accessible to foreign nationals.
- Stay Informed: Follow the Department of State and the U.S. Embassy in Mexico on social media for updates and alerts. Review the Country Security Report for Mexico for in-depth information. Mariners should check for maritime advisories.
- Prepare a Contingency Plan: Develop a plan for emergency situations, reviewing the Traveler’s Checklist. Consult the CDC page for the latest health information.
Conclusion: Informed Travel in Mexico
Traveling in Mexico offers incredible experiences, but it requires awareness and informed decision-making. Understanding the varying safety levels across different states and the challenges faced by the Mexican government in ensuring uniform security is crucial. By staying informed through resources like government travel advisories, practicing general safety precautions, and being mindful of local conditions, travelers can mitigate risks and enjoy their visit to Mexico while making responsible choices about their safety and well-being. Remember to continually check for updated advisories, as the security landscape can evolve, and up-to-date information is paramount for safe and informed travel.
