6:00 AM on Mar 11, 2022 CST Updated at 2:39 PM on Mar 11, 2022 CST. Causes of failure include corruption, inadequate training and resources, and complicity of prosecutors and public defenders with criminals and other abusive officials. Do not display signs of wealth, such as wearing expensive watches or jewelry. And it ruled that medical staffs right to conscientiously object to performing abortions is subject to limits. Use additional caution in areas outside of the frequented tourist areas, although petty crime occurs frequently in tourist areas as well. He has promised to rescue Mexicos coal and oil industries and has introduced reforms that favor state-owned fossil-fuel power plants over renewable energy sources. There were reports of numerous forced disappearances by organized crime groups, sometimes with allegations of state collusion. Battles for territory between criminal groups have resulted in violent crime in areas frequented by U.S. citizens and U.S. government employees, including restaurants and malls during daylight hours. Crime and violence are widespread. It is most frequently applied after victims are detained, often arbitrarily, but before they are handed to civilian prosecutors. Travel to Cancn, Tulum and the surrounding areas in Quintana Roo is still considered safe, says Ruuska. Criminal activity and violence may occur throughout the state. Many human rights defenders called her appointment unconstitutional, saying that, as a former senior member of the presidents party, she is too close to the administration to be autonomous and apolitical. . When forces such as the Mexican Army (SEDENA) and Navy (SEMAR) or the National Guard, now numbering perhaps 100,000, are deployed, they are mostly sent to patrol the streets without active operations against local criminal groups. The month before, a California travel blogger and a German tourist were killed in a shooting in Tulum. Officials expect to receive more than 100,000 applications in 2021. See state summaries and advisory levels below for information on your specific travel destination. And from theSembrando Vidaprogram to grow fruit trees to vocational programs for youth at-risk of succumbing to criminality, these Lpez Obrador administration programs have been riddled with problems. Places with high homicide rates include the northern border cities of Tijuana and Ciudad Jurez, Ciudad Obregn in Sonora as well as Zamora and Uruapan in Michoacn. There are no restrictions on travel for U.S. government employees in Morelos state. San Luis Potosi state Exercise Increased Caution. A website compared crime statistics between Mexico and the United States and found Mexico to be less dangerous in many statistical categories. And the state police forces can only investigate ordinary crime, not organized crime. But the 2021 midterms showed to an unprecedented degree that the criminal groups are no longer satisfied to coopt elected officials. Women and pregnant people face many barriers when trying to access abortion, even when it is legal. As a lawyer there put it: The National Guard are the most expensive mannequins in Mexico.. Assistance: For Emergency Assistance for U.S. citizens in Mexico, call (55) 868 206 1076 from Mexico or 1-844-528-6611 from the United States. Almost two-thirds (64 percent) reported physical violence at the time of arrest, including electric shocks, choking, and smothering. U.S. government employees may travel to other parts of Sonora state in compliance with the above restrictions, including tourist areas in: Hermosillo, Bahia de Kino, and Puerto Penasco. It might seem that 2022 is starting off with important positive news about the crime and security situation in Mexico. But what I heard from interlocutors in Mexico wasa most problematic vision of the U.S. Mexico Bicentennial Framework by the Mexican government namely, that the United States should only take care of its own territory by reducing drug demand and retail in the United States and the flows of drug money and weapons to Mexico, while Mexico will do whatever it wants, without U.S. input, in Mexico. Since its creation in 2010 through August 2021, the federal Special Prosecutors Office to investigate crimes against journalists has opened more than 3,362 investigations, brought 265 charges for crimes, and obtained 25 convictions. Asocio-economic component to enablelocal populations access to legal income is important, thoughnot a replacement for good policing. In June 2020, the State of Mexico issued the government's first trafficking conviction through a virtual platform. There are no restrictions on travel for U.S. government employees in Baja California Sur state, which includes tourist areas in:Cabo San Lucas, San Jose del Cabo,andLa Paz. When travelling, keep an eye on your bags (which are safe enough in the luggage compartments underneath most buses). In the high-traffic tourist areas, crime is nearly zero and there are helpful and friendly people everywhere, including local information . Self-styled militias, sometimes fronts for rival criminal groups, other times with great proclivity to slide into many facets of criminality, persist andproliferate as the government looks on. Most homicides are targeted assassinations against members of criminal organizations. Last Updated: Reissued with updates to health information. Thus, they can act against crime and arrest people only when they see crime happeningin flagrancia. The U.S. government has limited ability to provide emergency services to U.S. citizens in many areas of Mexico, as travel by U.S. government employees to certain areas is prohibited or restricted. (Photo by Guillermo Arias / AFP) (Photo by GUILLERMO ARIAS/AFP via Getty Images), Women need to be careful in Mexico. In September 2021, the Defense Ministry admitted that at least 47 people had been killed or injured by the armed forces during the Lpez Obrador presidency, according to information obtained through transparency requests by Mexican journalists. Nine out of 10 killings were drug-related and more than a third of . There are no restrictions on travel for U.S. government employees in Quintana Roo state, which include tourist areas in:Cancun,Cozumel, Isla Mujeres,Playa del Carmen,Tulum, andtheRiviera Maya. Self-styled militias, sometimes fronts for rival criminal groups, other times with great proclivity to slide into many facets of criminality, persist and proliferate, as the government looks on. Criminal organizations are based in and operating in Sinaloa. The year started under the shadow of the brutal murders of the . Thats not always the case. Enforcement remains weak, partially because of a deep-rooted patriarchal culture. The CNB searches mass graves across the country. Includes a market overview and trade data. On May 4, Giovanni Lopez died in police custody after police allegedly beat him for three hours. And indeed, it doesnt respond. U.S. travelers are reminded that U.S. government employees must adhere to the following travel restrictions: There are no restrictions on travel for U.S. government employees to other parts of Oaxaca state, which include tourist areas in:Oaxaca City,Monte Alban,Puerto Escondido,andHuatulco. As mentioned in the Justice in Mexico 2020 Organized Crime and Violence Special Report, Guanajuato is one of the major hot spots of violence in Mexico.Caldern analyzes the surge in violence in the state, comparing the . As a security official in the Tierra Caliente explained to me, the objective of the deployments of the National Guard or joint patrols is not to fight the criminals, or even to deter them: [w]e send the National Guard in joint patrols with state police or the military to stand on the street. Underneath that macro-war, many violent micro-conflicts play out in Mexico, as smaller criminal groups fight over drug, extortion, and other criminal markets and seek to control local politicians and populations. In general, Mexican people are friendly, fun-loving, helpful and openand curious of solo female travelers.. Members of these groups frequently maintain roadblocks and may use violence towards travelers. That year, 45,500 crimes were registered . In 2019, the Supreme Court ruled that a lesbian couple from Aguascalientes state should be allowed to register a child born to one of the women as a child of both. Organized crime activity including gun battles, murder, armed robbery, carjacking, kidnapping, forced disappearances, extortion, and sexual assault is common along the northern border and in Ciudad Victoria. The Mexican governments response remains deeply troubling mostly a hope the criminals will sort it out among themselves. As a security official in theTierra Calienteexplained to me, the objective of the deployments of the National Guard or joint patrols is not to fight the criminals, or even to deter them: We send the National Guard in joint patrols with state police or the military to stand on the street. It ruled that state governments do not have the authority to legislate that life begins at conception. Mexico Crime Map - El Crimen Map of homicides in Mexico from August 2021 to July 2022 0 436.7 The color of the circles corresponds to the homicide rate and the size to the number of homicide reports (which may refer to more than one victim). The overarching bipolar rivalry between the Sinaloa Cartel and CJNG spans not just Mexico but violently all the way to Colombia and non-violently into the Asia-Pacific. Climate change is expected to increase the severity of extreme weather events, requiring steps by the government to protect at-risk populations from their foreseeable harms, including food insecurity due to rising temperatures and droughts impacting crops. Womens rights groups say femicide is likely under-reported. Do Not Travel To: Colima state due to crime and kidnapping. Brazen homicides persist at unacceptable levels. While not directed at tourists, shootings between rival gangs have injured innocent bystanders. The 2022 outlook for both the rule of law and public safety in Mexico and meaningful U.S.-Mexico security cooperation remains bleak, writes Vanda Felbab-Brown as she discusses her findings. Whether you care about business, politics or travel, Mexico Today will provide you with a recap of key stories playing across the country. Recent hotspots of cartel clashes and related crime include the mining cities of Caborca in Sonora statewhere authorities imposed a nightly curfew due to an uptick in violent crime in Februaryand Fresnillo in Zacatecas, where authorities have reinforced ongoing security operations against criminal organizations amid record-high homicide rates. Sign up for NBC LA newsletters. In 2018, the Supreme Court ruled in favor of a transgender person from Veracruz who contended that in refusing to change their name and gender marker on their birth certificate, the municipal Civil Registry had violated their rights. According to the UK Government, Major tourist destinations like Cabo San Lucas, Cancun, Playa del Carmen, Cozumel, Puerto Vallarta, Nuevo Vallarta and Mazatlan have mostly not seen the levels of drug-related violence and crime experienced elsewhere in Mexico. At all levels, police reform has mostly stalled. More than 23,000 are listed as having disappeared since President Lpez Obrador took office in December 2018. Exercise Increased Caution When Traveling To: Exercise Normal Precautions When Traveling To: Visit our website forTravel to High-Risk Areas. Mexico Today is your top source for news about Mexico. Violent crimesuch as homicide, kidnapping, carjacking and robberyis widespread and common in Mexico, warns the State Department. The "good areas" are like living in the hood in Chicago or Detroit Eeva Ruuska is the head of Americas operations at Riskline, a global travel risk intelligence company that provides independent country and city risk assessments as well as a 24/7 alert messaging system. February 11, 2022. Its distribution is opaque and discretionary. If a situation is fishy, walk away., Ranked: The 20 Happiest Countries In The World In 2022, Crime In America: Study Reveals The 10 Most Unsafe Cities (Its Not Where You Think). Many teachers protested the re-opening, at the height of the third wave of reported Covid-19 deaths. During the first two months (January-February) of 2022, Mexico recorded 4,854 victims of intentional homicide and femicide, which meant a 14%. U.S. citizens and LPRs have been victims of kidnapping. Keep traveling companions and family back home informed of your travel plans. Most homicides appeared to be targeted; however, criminal organization assassinations and territorial disputes can result in bystanders being injured or killed. Criminal activity and violence may occur throughout Nayarit state. U.S. citizens and LPRs have been victims of kidnapping in previous years. In August and September 2021, Mexico hosted negotiations between representatives from the Venezuelan government and opposition groups mediated by Norway. Other ways to share EL PASO, Texas (Border Report) Juarez closed 2021 with 1,420 homicides - a 14 percent decrease over an even more violent 2020. If separating from your travel group, send a friend your GPS location. The National Search Commission (CNB) has increased transparency about the number of disappeared persons, but prosecutors make little effort to investigate disappearances or identify those responsible. U.S. government employees may not drive from the U.S.-Mexico border to or from the interior parts of Mexico, except daytime travel within Baja California and between Nogales and Hermosillo on Mexican Federal Highway 15D, and between Nuevo Laredo and Monterrey on Highway 85D. There's a lot to see and do in . Recent shooting incidents have mainly been settling of scores between drug traffickers.. Their ebb and flow largely reflect choices and tit-for-tat responses by criminal groups toward one another. The picture is not good. (Lpez Obrador falsely claimed in November 2021 that a deal to end forest loss by 2030 reached at the global climate summit in Glasgow was inspired by Sowing Life.) In October and November, I spent several weeks in various parts of Mexico researching the evolution of crime and security policies. The U.S. government has limited ability to provide emergency services to U.S. citizens in many areas of Mexico, as travel by U.S. government employees to certain areas is prohibited or restricted. Instead of using force and judicial prosecution, Lpez Obrador seeks to reduce crime in Mexico through socio-economic anti-crime programs, part of his overall vastly popular redistribution strategy for Mexicos many poor and marginalized. Hidalgo state Exercise Increased Caution. The Lpez Obrador government blames poor security on state authorities, and state authorities blame it on municipal ones. Elsewhere, they have to live with sharing, like the Sinaloa Cartel and Cartel Jalisco Nueva Generacin (CJNG) do in the fentanyl and meth precursor hub Lzaro Crdenas. Armed groups operate independently of the government in many areas of Guerrero. In September, the Supreme Court made three rulings that set important precedents for reproductive rights. Cancun has always been a pretty chilled out place and boasted lower crime stats than much of the rest of Mexico. Their ebb and flow largely reflect choices and tit-for-tat responses by criminal groups toward one another. In 2020, journalists registered 692 threats, attacks, or other forms of aggressionreportedly the highest year on record. Exercise increased caution when visiting local bars, nightclubs, and casinos. In 2021, authorities reported 147 femicide cases - a slight reduction in comparison to previous years. At night the beaches in tourist areas are also potentially dangerous. Links to external websites are provided as a convenience and should not be construed as an endorsement by the U.S. Department of State of the views or products contained therein. Some tips: Learn some basic Spanish and keep personal things to yourself. The plan is insufficient to meet the Paris Agreement goal of limiting global warming to 1.5C, according to the Climate Action Tracker. A how-to guide for managing the end of the post-Cold War era. From January through August 2021, Mexico received nearly 78,000 asylum applications but resolved just over 23,000. Lpez Obrador has openly opposed wind and solar energy production. Impromptu roadblocks requiring payment to pass are common. Read all the Order from Chaos content, Nonstate armed actors and illicit economies in 2022, declined by 3.6% from the previous year to 33,308, U.S.-Mexico Bicentennial Framework for Security, Public Health, and Safe Communities, Strobe Talbott Center for Security, Strategy, and Technology, Drug Trafficking & Counter-Narcotics Policy, The nexus between the illicit narcotics trade and corruption, The travails of the US-Mexico High-Level Security Dialogue, Criminal violence, politics, and state capture in Michoacn, Pakistan: Five major issues to watch in 2023, Anti-democratic sentiment boils over in Brazil. ; Also according to the UK Government, over 576,971 British nationals visited Mexico in 2017 with most visits being trouble-free. Reductions in fighting, such as in Michoacns Apatzingn or Guerreros Acapulco where I conducted fieldwork, occurs mainly because a particular group or criminal alliance manages to establish temporary territorial control, a narcopeace: be it Crteles Unidos in that part of the Tierra Caliente, or Caro Quinteros and Los Chapitos branches of the Sinaloa Cartel in high-value extortion and drug trafficking in Acapulco. Numerous analyses have attempted to measure the extent of organized crime-related homicides, with estimates suggesting that approximately two-thirds of homicides could be attributed to organized crime in 2021, an increase from roughly 44 percent in 2015. Mexico City (Ciudad de Mexico) Exercise Increased Caution. No wonder, the effective prosecution rate for homicides in Mexico continues to hover around two percent. Victims are often held incommunicado at military bases or illegal detention sites. Just 3 in 10 New Mexicans feel safe calling New Mexico home, putting The Land of Enchantment in a tie with Louisiana for the state where people feel least safe overall. Violent crime and gang activity are common. Elsewhere, they have to live with sharing, like the Sinaloa Cartel and Cartel Jalisco Nueva Generacin (CJNG) do in the fentanyl and meth precursor hub Lzaro Crdenas. The Zetas had transformed Mexico's criminal model by militarizing the practices of organized crime groups, which allowed them to control territories through access to sophisticated weaponry, the generation of terror and the extraction of rents from society through kidnapping and extortion of small and medium-sized businesses. Amidst this systematic weakening of Mexicos institutions,the effort by Lpez Obrador and his Attorney General Alejandro Gertz Manero to gut and reverse Mexicos judicial reforms toward an accusatorial system andweaken judicial independenceare among the most detrimental. And the state police forces can only investigate ordinary crime, not organized crime. U.S. citizens and LPRs have been victims of kidnapping. Published by Teresa Romero , Oct 25, 2022. Follow this author to stay notified about their latest stories. the U.S. Mission to Mexico was quick to assert safety levels in the region were compromised, . Mexico is also one of the most dangerous countries in the world for human rights defenders. Brazen homicides persist at unacceptable levels. But the size of the decline is just noise in the tempo of Mexicos criminal violence. From the United States 1-844-528-6611. Chiapas state Exercise Increased Caution. Violent crime and gang activity occur with increasing frequency in Veracruz, particularly in the center and south near Cordoba and Coatzacoalcos. Petty theft is common and kidnappings are not exactly rare. Mexico State (Estado de Mexico) Exercise Increased Caution. Baja California Sur state Exercise Increased Caution. In general, travelers should avoid travel to areas unlikely to be visited by tourists. In November 2019, the Senate named Rosario Piedra Ibarra to head the National Human Rights Commission (CNDH). This is a murder rate of 1 in 520 citizens of San Miguel . Some areas in Chiapas, including Altamirano and Pantelh, should be avoided due to a recent uptick in attacks and disruptions by vigilante groups. Municipal police officers from Ixtlahuacan de los Membrillos, Jalisco, arrested Lopez for resisting arrest and transported him to their precinct after witnesses said he intervened when police attempted to arrest his neighbor. Be extra vigilant when visiting banks or ATMs. declined by 3.6% from the previous year to 33,308, U.S.-Mexico Bicentennial Framework for Security, Public Health and Safe Communities, Opinion | Forget the Yard, the Cold War is Back. Seventeen states have passed laws creating a procedure permitting transgender people to change their names and gender markers on birth certificates through a simple administrative process. Both the boys and their hairdresser trainers pocketed the government money and went about their lives, criminal or otherwise, as before. We caught up with Ruuska to find out whether its safe to travel to Mexico right now. Petty crime occurs frequently in both tourist and non-tourist areas. But the boys merely paid off or intimidated the hair salons into certifying the boys participation in the training without actually attending it. Petty theft is the most common security threat travelers will face across the country.. Law enforcement capacity is greater in the tri-city area of Tampico, Ciudad Madero, and Altamira, which has a lower rate of violent criminal activity compared to the rest of the state. Puebla state Exercise Increased Caution. He has vowed to amend the constitution to overcome legal challenges to these policies. There are no restrictions on travel for U.S. government employees in Tlaxcala state. In November, the Supreme Court overturned the law, declaring it unconstitutional. U.S. citizens and LPRs have been victims of kidnapping. If you wish to remain on travel.state.gov, click the "cancel" message. Nayarit state Exercise Increased Caution. Of particular concern is the high number of murders in the southern region of the state associated with cartel-related violence. Three days later, a trans woman was murdered in the same. President Lpez Obrador has greatly expanded the scope of the armed forces activities, deploying them for law enforcement and customs enforcement, and to control irregular immigration, run social programs, and build and operate mega projects. Crime in Mexico City, Mexico. The. The majority are between 15 and 30 years old, from lower income families, the CNB reports. Opinions expressed by Forbes Contributors are their own. MEXICO security officials. Whether in high-value targeting, countering violence and criminality in natural resources, or suppressing robberies and extortion, Mexicos various military and law enforcement forces are instructed to only undertake operations without the visible use of force even when criminal militias take over new territories and declare autonomy, or cartels bomb local populations. This piece was originally published by Mexico Today. If taking a taxi alone, take a photo of the taxi number and/or license plate and text it to a friend. In November 2021, four American travelers were hurt in an attack in Cancun when gunmen opened fire on the beach. No surprise, the U.S. State Department recently issued a chilling warning about travel to Mexico with a level 3 on a scale of 1 to 4, meaning reconsider travel. And some parts of Mexico where drug cartel violence is at its worst have long on a no-go list, with a level 4 no-go advisory. The Mexican government announced that homicides declined by 3.6% from the previous year to 33,308, just below the 33,739 in 2018 when Andrs Manuel Lpez Obrador became president. If you are a U.S. citizen traveling to, or residing in Mexico, enroll in the Smart Traveler Enrollment Program to receive safety messages and other travel information. In May 2020, the president formally deployed the military to assist the National Guard in civilian law enforcement. The Mexican government announced that homicidesdeclined by 3.6% from the previous year to 33,308, just below the 33,739 in 2018 when Andrs Manuel Lpez Obrador became president. Transformative Travel: I look at how travel can change lives. Article 19 reported five journalists killed in relation to their work from January to September 2021. In general, though, safety in Cancun is generally considered to be better than other parts of the Yucatan Peninsula. Elsewhere, same-sex couples must petition for an injunction (amparo) to be allowed to marry. Anyone over the age of 18 was eligible to receive at least the first dose of the vaccine by September. The CDC's latest guidance on international travel for vaccinated people can be foundhere. Torture is widely practiced to obtain confessions and extract information. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has a Level 3 Travel Health Notice for Mexico, indicating a high level of Covid in the country. There are no other travel restrictions for U.S. government employees in Baja California state. But in the first 8 months of 2018, there were 342 homicides in Cancun . In that month, the cases of domestic violence. Never leave your drink unattended or accept drinks from strangers or new acquaintances that you have not seen poured, says Ruuska.
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