US Travel Alert Triggers Response from Sheinbaum: Terrorism Concern Raised Over Mexico, Nation Favored by Americans as Top Travel Destination
The U.S. State Department has updated its travel advisory for Mexico, including a Level 2 travel advisory summary and a terrorism risk indicator for Mexico City. The updated advisory comes amidst concerns of increased violence and terrorism in Mexico due to the designation of several Mexican cartels as foreign terrorist organizations by the U.S. government.
According to the updated advisory, numerous violent crimes, such as homicides, kidnappings, vehicle thefts, and armed robberies, are committed in Mexico. Moreover, the advisory mentions the risk of terrorist violence, including bombings and other activities, across 30 of Mexico's 32 federal entities, with only Yucatán and Campeche excluded.
Mexico City's Mayor, Claudia Sheinbaum Pardo, has criticized the alert, describing it as an "exaggeration" and expressing disagreement with the U.S. government's assessment. She emphasized that this warning could negatively affect the perception of safety in Mexico and its tourism.
Despite the updated travel alert, U.S. citizens continue to visit Mexico. Mexico remains a popular vacation destination for Americans, with Mexico City being a main destination, as stated by President Claudia Sheinbaum Pardo. In fact, around a million Americans prefer to live in Mexico.
Notably, the U.S. Embassy highlighted the involvement of the FBI in the training of authorities leading to the arrests of 27 suspected members of the CJNG in Aguascalientes. This demonstrates ongoing cooperation between the U.S. and Mexican authorities in the fight against organized crime.
The U.S. State Department updated its travel alert for the first time to include the factor "terrorism," primarily because of the increased risk of terrorist violence in Mexico. This update comes as a concern for many, but it is essential to note that the U.S. continues to encourage travel to Campeche and Yucatan, which are excluded from the advisory's concerns.
For more information, please refer to the article titled "Spring Break 2025: U.S. issues warning to its citizens; alert on travel to Mexico due to insecurity."
The updated travel advisory by the U.S. State Department includes Mexico in its general news, highlighting the risk of war-and-conflicts, particularly terrorism, across 30 of Mexico's 32 federal entities. The politically-charged issue has garnered controversy, with Mexico City's Mayor, Claudia Sheinbaum Pardo, criticizing the alert as an exaggeration.
