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U.S. again cautions visitors to Mexican border towns
http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/travel/2002255199_webm...
By Kristin Jackson
The U.S. State Department has again cautioned Americans about the unsettled security situation in some Mexican border towns, urging visitors to be
careful and stick to mainstream, tourist-oriented areas.
"Violent criminal activity fueled by a war between criminal organizations struggling for control of the lucrative narcotics trade continues along the
U.S.-Mexico border. This has resulted in a wave of violence aimed primarily at members of drug-trafficking organizations, criminal-justice officials
and journalists. However, foreign visitors and residents, including Americans, have been among the victims of homicides and kidnappings in the border
region," the State Department said Tuesday, updating a similar caution it issued in January.
The worst violence has been around the Mexican city of Nuevo Laredo (across the border from Laredo, Texas) where, said the State Department, "more
than 30 U.S. citizens have been kidnapped and/or murdered in the past eight months and public shootouts have occurred during daylight hours near
frequented shopping areas and on streets leading to the international bridges."
While most of the thousands of U.S. citizens who visit Mexican border towns, including Nogales and Tijuana, have no problems, the State Department
urged travelers to take common-sense precautions and visit only legitimate businesses and tourist areas of border towns during daylight hours.
Americans also were warned to avoid red-light districts and neighborhoods where street drug dealing may occur.
After the State Department's similar January alert, the Mexican government said the U.S. should stay out of its internal affairs.
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http://www.travel.state.gov/travel/cis_pa_tw/pa/pa_2100.html
April 26, 2005
This Public Announcement is to alert U.S. citizens to the continuing unsettled public security situation along the Mexican side of the U.S.-Mexico
border. This Public Announcement supercedes the Public Announcement of January 26, 2005 to update the information provided. It expires on July 29,
2005.
Violent criminal activity fueled by a war between criminal organizations struggling for control of the lucrative narcotics trade continues along the
U.S.-Mexico border. This has resulted in a wave of violence aimed primarily at members of drug trafficking organizations, criminal justice officials
and journalists. However, foreign visitors and residents, including Americans, have been among the victims of homicides and kidnappings in the border
region.
A power vacuum within criminal organizations resulting from the imprisonment of several of their leaders along the Mexico-U.S. border continues to
contribute to a deterioration of public safety in the region. In recent months, the worst violence has been centered in the city of Nuevo Laredo in
the Mexican state of Tamaulipas, where more than 30 U.S. citizens have been kidnapped and/or murdered in the past eight months and public shootouts
have occurred during daylight hours near frequented shopping areas and on streets leading to the international bridges. One of the shootouts spilled
onto the Mexican side of the bridge itself. Four police officers have been killed in Nuevo Laredo since March.
Mexico's police forces suffer from lack of funds and training, and the judicial system is weak, overworked, and inefficient. Criminals, armed with an
impressive array of weapons, know there is little chance they will be caught and punished. In some cases, assailants have been wearing full or partial
police uniforms and have used vehicles that resemble police vehicles, indicating some elements of the police might be involved.
U.S. citizens are urged to be especially aware of safety and security concerns when visiting the border region. While the overwhelming majority of
victims of these crimes are Mexican citizens, U.S. citizens nonetheless should be aware of the risk posed by this uncertain security situation. The
vast majority of the thousands of U.S. citizens who cross the border each day do so safely, exercising common-sense precautions such as visiting only
legitimate business and tourist areas of border towns during daylight hours. It is strongly recommended that red-light districts and neighborhoods
where street drug dealing occurs be avoided.
U.S. citizens who are victims of crime in the border region are urged to contact the Consular Section of the nearest U.S. consulate for advice and
assistance. The following is contact information for the five U.S. border consulates or consulate generals:
The U.S. Consulate General in Tijuana, which covers the states of Baja California Norte and Baja California Sur, is located at Ave. Tapachula 96,
Colonia Hip?dromo. The Consulate General's telephone number is (52)(664) 622-7400, the fax for the office of American Citizen Services is (664)
686-1168, and the Consulate General's web address is http://www.usembassy-mexico.gov/tijuana/Teacs.htm.
The U.S. Consulate in Nogales, which covers northern Sonora, is located at Calle San Jose, Fraccionamiento Los Alamos. The Consulate's telephone
number is (52)(631) 313-4820, the fax for the Consulate is (52) (631) 313-46-52, the e-mail address for the Consulate is nogales7@prodigy.net.mx and
the Consulate's web address is http://www.usembassy-mexico.gov/nogales/NE_Introduction.htm.
The U.S. Consulate General in Ciudad Ju?rez, which covers the state of Chihuahua, is located at Avenida Lopez Mateos 924 Norte. The Consulate
General's telephone number is (52)(656) 611-3000, the fax for the Consulate General is (656) 616-9056, the e-mail address for the Consulate General's
Office of American Citizen Services is cdjamericancitizens@state.gov, and the Consulate General's web address is http://usembassy.state.gov/posts/mx2/wwwhmain.html.
The U.S. Consulate in Nuevo Laredo, which covers northern Coahuila and northwestern Tamaulipas states, is located at Calle Allende 3330, Colonia
Jardin. The Consulate's telephone number is (52)(867) 714-0512, the e-mail address for the Consulate's Office of American Citizen Services is
NuevoLaredo-ACS@state.gov, and the Consulate's web address is http://nuevolaredo.usconsulate.gov/nuevolaredo/index.html.
The U.S. Consulate in Matamoros, which covers eastern and southern Tamaulipas state, is located at Calle Primera #2002, Colonia Jardin. The
Consulate's telephone number is (52)(868) 812-4402, the fax for the Consulate is (868) 812-2171, and the Consulate's web address is http://matamoros.usconsulate.gov/ .
Americans living or traveling in Mexico are encouraged to register with the nearest U.S. Embassy or Consulate through the State Department's travel
registration website, https://travelregistration.state.gov, and to obtain updated information on travel and security within Mexico. Americans without Internet access
may register directly with the nearest U.S. Embassy or Consulate. By registering, American citizens make it easier for the Embassy or Consulate to
contact them in case of emergency.
Updated information on travel and security for Mexico may be obtained from the Department of State by calling 1-888-407-4747 within the U.S., or from
overseas, 1-202-501-4444. U.S. citizens should consult the Consular Information Sheet for Mexico, the Worldwide Caution Public Announcement, and the
travel publication A Safe Trip Abroad, all of which are available on the State Department's Internet site at http://travel.state.gov.
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U.S. travel advisory said to have little impact
http://sun.yumasun.com/artman/publish/articles/story_16300.p...
BY JONATHAN ATHENS
Apr 28, 2005
For the second time in four months, U.S. State Department officials on Tuesday alerted American travelers of narcotics-related criminal violence in
Mexico's border cities.
In response, Mexico's government reiterated their efforts to combat criminal organizations, reform their prison system and put more federal law
enforcement officers and soldiers in troubled areas.
The Mexican consul in Yuma, Hugo Oliva, said under orders from his government, he and other Mexican consuls are not allowed to comment on the
announcement. Oliva said he could not comment on whether the advisory has adversely affected U.S.-Mexico relations.
Liza Davis, spokeswoman for the U.S. Consulate in Tijuana, said, "It will not hurt diplomatic relations or tourism."
Davis said U.S. officials told Mexico officials in advance they were going to renew the advisory which they originally issued in January.
"It was not a surprise to the Mexican government," Davis said.
The advisory blamed the continuing violence on turf battles between drug gangs and includes new warnings that U.S. citizens have been among the
homicide victims.
The advisory states the worst violence has occurred in Nuevo Laredo, Mexico, the Mexican sister city across the Rio Grande from Laredo, Texas.
Oliva said, "Mexico is fighting these criminal organiza- tions."
The criminal activities in Mexico's cities are similar to the type of crime in large U.S. cities, Oliva said.
More than 30 U.S. citizens have been kidnapped or murdered in the past eight months in Nuevo Laredo, and public shootouts have occurred during
daylight hours. Two Americans were killed, 11 were released by their captors and the rest remain unaccounted for.
Davis said there have been no reports thus far this year of U.S. citizens being kidnapped or killed in Mexico cities bordering Arizona.
The original travel advisory raised hackles in Mexico and prompted Mexico President Vicente Fox in early February to go on a handshaking mission to
Los Algodones, Baja Calif., a popular tourist town that is dependent on tourist trade.
Oliva said there has been no decline in tourism and said there has been no drop in cross-border trade since the advisory was first issued.
The renewed advisory is set to expire on July 29. However, thousands of visitors are expected to travel to El Golfo de Santa Clara, a beach town an
hour away from San Luis Rio Colorado, Son., for July 4 celebrations.
"We'll see by that number if we are being affected by the announcement," said Sergio Guiterrez, director of Economic Development and Tourism for the
city of San Luis Rio Colorado, Son.
Guiterrez said an estimated 4,000 visitors are expected to arrive in El Golfo for celebrations there.
Tourism is not an economic pillar for San Luis Rio Colorado, Son., Guiterrez went on to say, adding the city gets no more than $800,000 of the
estimated $15 million to $18 million Americans each year bring the economy of Sonora.
Guiterrez said, "The tourists know the small risks that there are like there are in any country."
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