Mexico Travel? New Warnings to US Citizens from State Department
American tourists are kidnap targets
If you are planning a summer vacation at a Mexican Beach Resort, you should be aware that the U.S. State Department has just issued travel advisories warning US residents about the dangers of visiting two popular beach locations, as well as opening some apps in Mexico that criminals are using to kidnap American tourists and extort large sums of money from their families back in the USA to secure their safe release.
APPS TO AVOID IN MEXICO TO PROTECT YOURSELF FROM VIOLENT CRIME:
The State Department says it "has confirmed several reports of U.S. citizens being kidnapped by individuals the victims met on dating apps in recent months." In response, the State Department is warning US residents to:
Be cautious if using online dating apps in Mexico.
Meet only in public places and avoid isolated locations.
Tell a friend or family member of your plans, including where you are going, details of the person you are meeting, and the app you used to meet them.
Trust your instincts. If something does not feel right, do not hesitate to remove yourself from a situation.
In case of emergency, call 911.
NEW ADVISORIES FOR US RESIDENTS VISITING TWO POPULAR MEXICAN BEACH RESORT AREAS:
Although the State Department notes that "this type of violence is not limited to one geographic area," they also caution that the US Consulate in Guadalajara has received reports in recent months of " U.S. citizens being kidnapped by individuals the victims met on dating apps "in recent months in the Puerto Vallarta and Nuevo Nayarit areas." (Nuevo Nayarit, for those who are unfamiliar, includes a spectacular stretch of beaches along the shores of Bahía de Banderas north of Puerto Vallarta).
It's also worth noting that Puerto Vallarta is subject to the State Department's next-to-highest travel warning designation ("Level 3 - Reconsider Travel") for all of the state of Jalisco, in which it is located " due to crime and kidnapping, while Nayarit is classified as (“Level 2: Exercise Increased Caution” ) due to crime.
WHAT ABOUT OTHER POPULAR MEXICAN BEACH RESORT AREAS?
If your summer travel plans include a trip to destinations elsewhere in Mexico, you should be aware that a half-dozen other Pacific Coast Mexican Beach Resort Areas are under a "Level 4 - Do Not Travel" Advisory, while several other popular Pacific Coast Beach Resort Areas are under a "Level 3 - Reconsider Travel" Advisory.
For details about that, as well as the advisory levels for popular Caribbean tourist destinations like Cancun, the "Riviera Maya," Tulum, and Cozumel, I direct you to a comprehensive article about Summer Travel Advisories I published late last month, which you can find HERE.
Do these advisories have you reconsidering Summer travel to Mexico?
Share your thoughts in the comments about this article!
Abrazos,
Jack Beavers
