Drug War Forces Residents to Flee Mexican Town (on Texas Border)

Warring Mexican drug cartels have claimed a new victim along the U.S. Southern border: the town of Ciudad Mier. Constant gunfights and spiraling violence between rival drug gangsters have forced the evacuation of the Mexican town. A shelter for fleeing residents of Mier has been set up in the Lions Club in the nearby town of Miguel Aleman, and it has become, in the words of Mexico's Proceso magazine, the first refugee camp of the Mexican cartel war.

Some 300 families have sought sanctuary from intolerable conditions in Ciudad Mier, where hoodlums from the Gulf Cartel and the Zetas mafia are battling for supremacy. Their brutal turf war has engulfed all of northeast Mexico, which borders Texas.

"The situation is critical," says a ranch worker named Jose. "We can't live there anymore peacefully. There are gunfights night and day. Every morning we wake up to dead bodies all over town. People are really afraid."

At the Lions Club, a steady stream of vehicles pulls up to unload donated food, clothing, blankets and Bibles. Help is coming from the municipality of Miguel Aleman and from sympathetic Texans across the river in Starr County. According to Mier refugees, only a few dozen residents — besides the narcos — remain in their town of 6,500. There is no city government and no police; almost all clinics, schools, cafes and stores have closed; water and electricity are spotty. They describe cowering in their homes during firefights, in a town of shattered windows and torched businesses.

A Mier city official, who asked that his name not be used, reads from a desperate communique being sent out to the media and to anyone else who will help. "We know of more than 111 kidnappings of local people. There is no social life — no baptisms, no weddings, no family reunions. Everything is caused by the confrontations between the armed groups," he says.

Smugglers have long coveted Mier for its isolation and proximity to the Rio Grande. Three years ago, the federal government named Ciudad Mier a Pueblo Magico, a "Magic Town," for the touristic value of its colonial buildings. But today, the city official says the federal military has abandoned them. The roughly 300 families who fled Ciudad Mier have found shelter at the Lions Club in the nearby town of Miguel Aleman.

"We ask the army for help, and they never come. They come after everything is over, when they know there's nothing going on. They come in to haul off burned trucks and bodies," he says.

Several townsfolk say it was one particularly gruesome display that convinced them it was time to leave. "They killed the brother of a friend of mine. They cut him in pieces and hung him in the plaza," says Maria Elena Tamez, wearing rosary beads and reclining on a plastic mattress. "They put a sign on him, but I don't know what it said." She says her daughter and other children in the Lions Club shelter have nightmares about the dismembered man swaying from the tree in the plaza. Several residents say the army told them to leave Mier last week because things were "about to get worse." It is not known if the military is planning an offensive to retake Mier, but that's what people here are waiting for.

Earlier this month, more than 600 federal troops were sent to nearby Matamoros to find and kill the infamous drug lord Tony Tormenta. The national security spokesman for Mexican President Felipe Calderon was asked to comment on the Mier situation, but there was no immediate response.
- gleaned from NPR

Charting Mexico's Drug Violence

Drugs and violence: Mexico's addiction
Mexican soldiers patrol a road after a gunfight with drug gang members near Monterrey. Photo: 2 September 2010 The Mexican army and police have been fighting the cartels since 2006

Waves of killings blamed on drug cartels are continuing to sweep Mexico. Here, Mexican political scientist Eduardo Guerrero Gutierrez examines the reasons for the violence and the prospects for the future.
Continue reading the main story
MEXICO'S DRUGS WAR

* Charting Mexico's violence
* Battling the cartels
* On patrol in Ciudad Juarez
* 'Family values' of drug gang

Drug-related violence in Mexico has killed nearly 30,000 people in the first 45 months of the current government, and its fast increase has been unstoppable.

If the killings continue to increase at the current rate that total will rise to about 75,000 by the time the government's term in office ends in December 2012.

The government's stance against the growing number of casualties in the war on drugs has been to emphasise the inevitability of violence.

In a recent interview, President Felipe Calderon said: "I wish there was less violence, but - being honest - that is not foreseeable in the short term, in which high levels of violence will remain. Violence will decline over the medium and long terms."

A particularly frustrating aspect of the government's war against organised crime is that - despite its high cost in terms of human lives - the war has not led to the decline of kidnappings, extortion and human trafficking.

In addition, frequent arrests of drug lords have had three highly detrimental effects: an increase in the number of criminal organisations (given the divisions that these arrests cause within a cartel); higher levels of violence; and territorial expansion of organised crime (which involves the invasion of new spaces).
Map showing areas of influence of Mexican drug cartels
Waves of violence

What are the main patterns of Mexican violence?

In general, it is a selective type of violence led by rival organisations and police and military authorities, driven by the chronic instability of criminal networks (to which the government has contributed significantly), and their ability to retain and win routes and territories for drug trafficking.

Some 162 municipalities out of the 2,456 that exist across Mexico account for 80% of the total number of killings - and within that figure the violence is concentrated yet further.

Ciudad Juarez has seen 20% of the murders, while three other cities, Culiacan, Tijuana and Chihuahua, account for 16%.

Nationally, there were two periods of dramatic and sudden increase in drug-related killings between January 2007 and August 2010: the first from April 2008 to November 2008, when killings rose from 200 to over 700 per month.
Chart showing Mexican killings

The origin of this first wave of violence was the arrest of Alfredo Beltran Leyva, aka El Mochomo, in January 2008. The arrest culminated in the separation of the organisation of the Beltran Leyva brothers from the Sinaloa Cartel in March 2008.

The second wave of violence happened between November 2009 and May 2010, when the number of killings went up from 500 to about 1,000 per month. This was driven by the death of Arturo Beltran Leyva, aka el Barbas, who was seized by the army.

Both of these big waves of violence were triggered by either an arrest or elimination of a cartel boss.
Mexican phenomenon

In all, violence increased in 21 of Mexico's 32 states during the first half of 2010.

In 12 states - which include the six northern border states of Baja California, Sonora, Chihuahua, Coahuila, Nuevo Leon and Tamaulipas - the growth of violence has been associated with the increased collaboration between gangs and cartels.
Funeral in Honduras of a migrant killed in Mexico (2 Sep 2010) The recent killing of 72 migrant workers took the violence down an even more brutal path

In Ciudad Juarez, for example, in Chihuahua state, the largest and most violent gangs (such as Barrio Azteca or Mexicles, with about 3,000 members each) are used by drug cartels to smuggle, import weapons, murder, extort and kidnap.

Frequent police action against gangs is often the decisive factor that pushes them to co-operate with the cartels, which offer them protection, among other benefits.

In areas of high gang violence Mexico could begin to adopt and to adapt the US experience in implementing anti-violence programmes. Some of those - such as Boston's Operations Ceasefire - in eliminating firearms crimes in gangland hotspots.

But in Mexico there are other types of violence that are not associated with gangs, which have distinct dynamics.

For example, in states such as Sinaloa, Michoacan and Durango violence is not linked to gangs, but to clashes between disciplined bureaucracies of gunmen engaged in transporting and guarding drug routes and territories.

Two cartels - Los Zetas and La Familia Michoacana - have the highest capacity for violence.

Los Zetas operate in 19 states and La Familia Michoacana in five, and share a common origin: the defection of Mexican elite military personnel in 1999.

Because of their preparation, methods of operation and equipment, these two criminal groups can only be dealt with effectively through military operations.

Mexican violence is a phenomenon with distinctive features in each region, linked to specific traits of drug cartels and the presence (or absence) of gangs.

Other variables that may change the local dynamics of violence depend on the type of activity the violent actor is involved with in the drug market, the extent of police corruption in the region, and the level of social collusion with organised crime.

All these factors should be addressed by any programme that seriously aims to stabilise or reduce violence in Mexico in the near future.

Interesting Places - Croatia

Croatia is an EU-candidate country, and its glittering Adriatic coast and numerous islands have made it a major regional tourism destination. One of the wealthier former Yugoslav republics, Croatia has modernized quicker than most, joining NATO in 2008 and likely to join the EU by 2014.

The country’s predominantly Catholic identity and historic orientation towards Italy and Central Europe distinguish it from Balkan neighbors. However, Croatia bears similarities to them in terms of certain social customs and preferences, as well as general inherited traits acquired with common experience, such as the prevailing methods of politicking, conducting business and power-brokering.

Outstanding Issues

An unresolved maritime border dispute with Slovenia, and a lesser one with Bosnia-Hercegovina regarding sea access and villages; corruption in politics and business; some organized crime concerns.

Forward Planning: Points of Interest

* Fallout from the global financial crisis, including price correction concerns and a rethink of possible over-reliance on tourism sector
* Government’s role in supporting ethnic Croat interests in Bosnia-Hercegovina, in the greater context of the latter’s political future
* EU relations, especially regarding final reforms and Slovenia debate
* Controversy over the significance of wartime events, such as veterans issues involving the 1991-95 war.

More Drug Cartel Violence in Mexico

MEXICO CITY (Reuters) – Mexican soldiers killed 22 suspected drug gunmen in a two-hour firefight on Wednesday night, local media reported on Thursday.

The gun battle took place at a ranch in the state of Tamaulipas after soldiers investigated suspicious activity and touched off the firefight, several local media outlets reported, citing local military sources. An army spokesman would not confirm the details of the reported shooting.

Mexican soldiers recovered 25 rifles, several grenades and other arms after the firefight, several local newspapers reported.

In a separate gun battle earlier on Wednesday in the state of Nuevo Leon, soldiers killed another 19 gunmen, local media said, citing official sources.

Mexico has seen more than 28,000 drug killings across the country since President Felipe Calderon launched his army-led war against drug cartels in late 2006.

(Reporting by Patrick Rucker; editing by Todd Eastham)

Five Border Cities Shaken by Violence

Escalating violence has been a legitimate concern in US border cities as the war on drugs, smuggling, and organized crimes grows increasingly more dangerous and threatens the lives of US citizens across the US-Mexico border. Mexican drug gangs competing for control of smuggling routes and clashing with government forces have resulted in kidnappings, beheadings, torture, and major gun and grenade battles. It is estimated that over 22,000 people have been killed since Mexico’s President, Felipe Calderon declared a war on drugs in 2007. According to the US State Department, it is estimated that 90% of cocaine that enters the US transits Mexico and that Mexican drug cartels control about 70% of the narcotic flow into the US. In 2008, 79 US citizens were killed in Mexico in relation to drug wars, up from 35 people in 2007, according to the State Department. These are some of the few cities affected by border violence and the war on drugs:

El Paso- Located in West Texas, El Paso lies across the border to Ciudad Juarez, Chihuahua in Mexico. Rival drug cartels fighting over smuggling routes have been responsible for over 4,000 deaths in Ciudad Juarez alone in the last two years. Because Ciudad Juarez is one of the most dangerous cities in Mexico, possibly even in the world, El Paso officials and intelligence have been on high alert to keep the violence from coming into their city. In March of 2010, a US Consulate worker, her husband, and the husband of another US Consulate employee, were gunned down leaving a birthday party in Ciudad Juarez. More recently, in June, several bullets hit City Hall in El Paso; the bullets are believed to be stray bullets from a gun fight that was taking place across the border in Ciudad, Juarez.

Brownsville- Located at the southernmost tip of Texas, Brownsville shares a border with Matamoros, Tamaulipas, Mexico. In September of 2009, a gun battle that lasted hours broke out in broad daylight in Matamoros and several stray bullets hit buildings and cars on The University of Texas at Brownsville campus in Brownsville forcing administrators to shut the campus for several days. Gun battles have also caused shutdowns in one, two or all three bridges that connect Brownville to Matamoros in the last few years. Residents of South Texas and the border areas have been urged to stay away from Mexico as members of the cartels have set up fake checkpoints all across northern Mexico states to target travelers for kidnapping, robbery, violent crimes and to avoid having them get caught up in crossfire during gun battles that occur pretty frequently.

Laredo- Located on the north bank of the Rio Grande River in South Texas, Laredo sits just across the border from Nuevo Laredo, Tamaulipas, Mexico. In April of 2010, a Mexican drug gang targeted the US Consulate in Nuevo Laredo and threw explosives over the fence. The US Consulate in Nuevo Laredo has also been shut down several times in the past because of threats or actual criminal attempts being carried out on the Consulate grounds. Due to several recent gun wars in the Nuevo Laredo area, one of which ended with 39 people dead, residents have been urged on several different occasions to take shelter and avoid the bridge areas.

San Diego- Located in California, San Diego is situated on the US Mexico border adjacent to Tijuana, Baja California, Mexico. One of the problems San Diego residents face is kidnapping on both sides of the border. More specifically, a gang knows as Las Palillos had been known to kidnap wealthy business people, hold them for ransom, and murder them so that they could not testify against them later. Las Palillos is responsible for at least 9 murders and several kidnappings, and many others that went unreported. Recently, Border Patrol agents in San Diego have been asked to wear protective gear under their uniforms and take extra caution as drug cartel members have threatened to kill Border Patrol agents after a Mexican citizen was killed by Border Patrol agents last month.

Nogales- Nogales, Arizona borders the Mexican town of the same name, Nogales, Sonora, Mexico. While Nogales seems to be one of the border towns less affected by the drug and smuggling wars, the city has had some violence. In March 2010, a prominent Arizona rancher was found shot to death on an ATV on his ranch and footprints on the crime scene led back across the Mexico border. In July 2010, a major gun battle broke out a few miles from the Mexican town between rival drug and migrant traffickers and resulted in the death of 21 people and several others wounded. It is also reported that an 80 mile stretch along the Arizona border, including parts of the Buenos Aires National Wildlife Refuge, were closed as an increase in drug smugglers and illegal activity threatened the safety of visitors.

Mexico Travel Warning

Mexico Travel Warning

The Department of State has issued this Travel Warning to inform U.S. citizens traveling to and living in Mexico about the security situation in Mexico. The authorized departure of family members of U.S. government personnel from U.S. Consulates in the northern Mexico border cities of Tijuana, Nogales, Ciudad Juarez, Nuevo Laredo, Monterrey and Matamoros remains in place. However, based upon a security review in Monterrey following the August 20, 2010 shooting in front of the American Foundation School in Monterrey and the high incidence of kidnappings in the Monterrey area, U.S. government personnel from the Consulate General in Monterrey have been advised that the immediate, practical and reliable way to reduce the security risks for children of U.S. Government personnel is to remove them from the city. Beginning September 10, 2010, the Consulate General in Monterrey will become a partially unaccompanied post with no minor dependents of U.S. government employees. This Travel Warning supersedes the Travel Warning for Mexico dated July 16, 2010 to note the changing security situation in Monterrey.

Millions of U.S. citizens safely visit Mexico each year. This includes tens of thousands who cross the border every day for study, tourism or business and at least one million U.S. citizens who live in Mexico. The Mexican government makes a considerable effort to protect U.S. citizens and other visitors to major tourist destinations. Resort areas and tourist destinations in Mexico do not see the levels of drug-related violence and crime reported in the border region and in areas along major drug trafficking routes. Nevertheless, crime and violence are serious problems. While most victims of violence are Mexican citizens associated with criminal activity, the security situation poses serious risks for U.S. citizens as well.

It is imperative that U.S. citizens understand the risks involved in travel to Mexico, how best to avoid dangerous situations, and who to contact if one becomes a victim of crime or violence. Common-sense precautions such as visiting only legitimate business and tourist areas during daylight hours, and avoiding areas where criminal activity might occur, can help ensure that travel to Mexico is safe and enjoyable. U.S. citizen victims of crime in Mexico are urged to contact the consular section of the nearest U.S. Consulate or Embassy for advice and assistance. Contact information is provided at the end of this message. General Conditions Since 2006, the Mexican government has engaged in an extensive effort to combat drug-trafficking organizations (DTOs). Mexican DTOs, meanwhile, have been engaged in a vicious struggle with each other for control of trafficking routes. In order to prevent and combat violence, the government of Mexico has deployed military troops and federal police throughout the country.

U.S. citizens should expect to encounter military and other law enforcement checkpoints when traveling in Mexico and are urged to cooperate fully. DTOs have erected unauthorized checkpoints, and killed motorists who have not stopped at them. In confrontations with the Mexican army and police, DTOs have employed automatic weapons and grenades. In some cases, assailants have worn full or partial police or military uniforms and have used vehicles that resemble police vehicles. According to published reports, 22,700 people have been killed in narcotics-related violence since 2006. The great majority of those killed have been members of DTOs. However, innocent bystanders have been killed in shootouts between DTOs and Mexican law enforcement or between rival DTOs. Recent violent attacks and persistent security concerns have prompted the U.S. Embassy to urge U.S. citizens to defer unnecessary travel to Michoacán and Tamaulipas, to parts of Chihuahua, Sinaloa, Durango, and Coahuila, (see details below) and to advise U.S. citizens residing or traveling in those areas to exercise extreme caution.

Violence Along the U.S.-Mexico Border Much of the country’s narcotics-related violence has occurred in the northern border region. For example, since 2006, three times as many people have been murdered in Ciudad Juarez, in the state of Chihuahua, across from El Paso, Texas, than in any other city in Mexico. More than half of all Americans killed in Mexico in FY 2009 whose deaths were reported to the U.S. Embassy were killed in the border cities of Ciudad Juarez and Tijuana. Since 2006, large firefights have taken place in towns and cities in many parts of Mexico, often in broad daylight on streets and other public venues. Such firefights have occurred mostly in northern Mexico, including Ciudad Juarez, Tijuana, Chihuahua City, Nogales, Nuevo Laredo, Piedras Negras, Reynosa, Matamoros and Monterrey. Firefights have also occurred in Nayarit, Jalisco and Colima. During some of these incidents, U.S. citizens have been trapped and temporarily prevented from leaving the area. The situation in northern Mexico remains fluid; the location and timing of future armed engagements cannot be predicted. U.S. citizens are urged to exercise extreme caution when traveling throughout the region, particularly in those areas specifically mentioned in this Travel Warning.

The level of violence in Monterrey is increasing and has spread to areas near a school which many U.S. citizen children attend. Local police and private patrols do not have the capacity to deter criminal elements from areas around schools. Given the increasing level of violence that is occurring all over Monterrey, school children are at a significantly increased risk. Based on this, and combined with the high incidence of kidnappings in the Monterrey area, U.S. government personnel from the Consulate General have been advised that the immediate, practical and reliable way to reduce the security risks for their children is to remove them from the city. Beginning September 10, 2010, the Consulate General in Monterrey will become a partially unaccompanied post with no minor dependents of U.S. government employees. In recent months, DTOs have used stolen trucks to block major highways and thus prevent the military from responding to criminal activity, most notably in the area around Monterrey. Also in Monterrey, DTOs have kidnapped guests out of reputable hotels in the downtown area, blocking off adjoining streets to prevent law enforcement response. DTOs have also attacked Mexican government facilities such as military barracks and a customs and immigration post.

The situation in the state of Chihuahua, specifically Ciudad Juarez, is of special concern. Mexican authorities report that more than 2,600 people were killed in Ciudad Juarez in 2009. Three persons associated with the Consulate General were murdered in March, 2010. U.S. citizens should defer unnecessary travel to Ciudad Juarez and to the Guadalupe Bravo area southeast of Ciudad Juarez. . From the United States, these areas are often reached through the Fabens and Fort Hancock, TX ports-of-entry. In both areas, American citizens have been victims of drug related violence. There have been recent incidents of serious narcotics-related violence in the vicinity of the Copper Canyon in Chihuahua. The Consular agency in Reynosa, Tamaulipas was closed temporarily in February 2010 in response to firefights between police and DTOs and between DTOs. In April 2010, a grenade thrown into the Consulate compound at 11:00 PM caused damage to the U.S. Consulate General in Nuevo Laredo, Tamaulipas. The Consulate General in Nuevo Laredo and the Consular Agency in Piedras Negras, Coahuila, were closed for one day as a result. The Consulate General in Nuevo Laredo prohibits employees from entering the entertainment zone in Nuevo Laredo known as “Boys Town” because of concerns about violent crime in that area. Between 2006 and 2009, the number of narcotics-related murders in the state of Durango increased ten-fold. The cities of Durango and Gomez Palacio, and the area known as “La Laguna” in the state of Coahuila, which includes the city of Torreon, have experienced sharp increases in violence. In late 2009 and early 2010, four visiting U.S. citizens were murdered in Gomez Palacio, Durango. These are among several murders in the state of Durango that have been cause for particular concern and that remain under investigation. Travelers on the highways between Monterrey and the United States (notably through Nuevo Laredo and Matamoros) have been targeted for robbery that has resulted in violence and have also been caught in incidents of gunfire between criminals and Mexican law enforcement. Travelers should defer unnecessary travel on Mexican Highway 2 between Reynosa and Nuevo Laredo due to the ongoing violent competition between DTOs in that area. Criminals have followed and harassed U.S. citizens traveling in their vehicles in border areas including Nuevo Laredo, Matamoros, and Tijuana. U.S. citizens traveling by road to and from the U.S. border through Nuevo Leon, Coahuila, Durango, and Sinaloa should be especially vigilant. Criminals appear to especially target SUVs and full-size pick-up trucks for theft and car-jacking along these routes. Continued concerns regarding road safety along the Mexican border have prompted the U.S. Mission in Mexico to impose certain restrictions on U.S. government employees transiting the area. Effective July 15, 2010, Mission employees and their families may not travel by vehicle across the U.S.-Mexico border to or from any post in the interior of Mexico. This policy also applies to employees and their families transiting Mexico to and from Central American posts. This policy does not apply to employees and their family members assigned to border posts (Tijuana, Nogales, Ciudad Juarez, Nuevo Laredo, and Matamoros), although they may not drive to interior posts as outlined above. Travel is permitted between Hermosillo and Nogales, but not permitted from Hermosillo to any other interior posts. Crime and Violence Throughout Mexico Although narcotics-related crime is a particular concern along Mexico’s northern border, violence has occurred throughout the country, including in areas frequented by American tourists. U.S. citizens traveling in Mexico should exercise caution in unfamiliar areas and be aware of their surroundings at all times. Bystanders have been injured or killed in violent attacks in cities across the country, demonstrating the heightened risk of violence in public places. In recent years, dozens of U.S. citizens living in Mexico have been kidnapped and most of their cases remain unsolved.

One of Mexico’s most powerful DTOs is based in the state of Sinaloa. Since 2006, more homicides have occurred in the state’s capital city of Culiacan than in any other city in Mexico, with the exception of Ciudad Juarez. Furthermore, the city of Mazatlan has experienced a recent increase in violent crime, with more murders in the first quarter of 2010 than in all of 2009. U.S. citizens should defer unnecessary travel to Culiacan and exercise extreme caution when visiting the rest of the state. The state of Michoacán is home to another of Mexico’s most dangerous DTOs, “La Familia”. In June 2010, 14 federal police were killed in an ambush near Zitacuaro in the southeastern corner of the state. In April 2010, the Secretary for Public Security for Michoacán was shot in a DTO ambush. Security incidents have also occurred in and around the State’s world famous butterfly sanctuaries. In 2008, a grenade attack on a public gathering in Morelia, the state capital, killed eight people. U.S. citizens should defer unnecessary travel to the area. If travel in Michoacán is unavoidable, U.S. citizens should exercise extreme caution, especially outside major tourist areas.

U.S. citizens should exercise extreme caution when traveling in the northwestern part of the state of Guerrero, which likewise has a strong DTO presence. U.S. citizens should not take the dangerous, isolated road through Ciudad Altamirano to the beach resorts of Ixtapa and Zihuatanejo. The popular beach resort of Acapulco has been affected by narcotics-related violence. In April 2010, three innocent bystanders were killed in a shootout between Mexican police and DTO members in broad daylight in one of the city’s main tourist areas. In the same month, numerous incidents of narcotics-related violence occurred in the city of Cuernavaca, in the State of Morelos, a popular destination for American language students. U.S. citizens should also exercise extreme caution when traveling in southern Nayarit in and near the city of Tepic which has recently experienced unpredictable incidents of DTO violence. The number of violent incidents involving DTOs has increased in recent months throughout Jalisco, Nayarit and Colima. U.S. citizens traveling to towns and villages with large indigenous communities located predominantly but not exclusively in southern Mexico, should be aware that land disputes between residents and between residents and local authorities have led to violence. In April 2010, two members of a non-governmental aid organization, one of whom was a foreign citizen, were murdered near the village of San Juan Capola in Oaxaca.

Safety Recommendations

U.S. citizens who believe they are being targeted for kidnapping or other crimes should notify Mexican law enforcement officials and the U.S. Embassy in Mexico City or the nearest U.S. consulate as soon as possible. Any U.S. visitor who suspects they are a target should consider returning to the United States immediately. U.S. citizens should be aware that many cases of violent crime are never resolved by Mexican law enforcement, and the U.S. government has no authority to investigate crimes committed in Mexico. U.S. citizens should make every attempt to travel on main roads during daylight hours, particularly the toll ("cuota") roads, which generally are more secure. When warranted, the U.S. Embassy and consulates advise their employees as well as private U.S. citizens to avoid certain areas, abstain from driving on certain roads because of dangerous conditions or criminal activity, or recommend driving during daylight hours only. When this happens, the Embassy or the affected consulate will alert the local U.S. citizen Warden network and post the information on their respective websites, indicating the nature of the concern and the expected time period for which the restriction will remain in place. U.S. citizen visitors are encouraged to stay in the well-known tourist areas. Travelers should leave their itinerary with a friend or family member not traveling with them, avoid traveling alone, and check with their cellular provider prior to departure to confirm that their cell phone is capable of roaming on GSM or 3G international networks. Cell phone coverage in isolated parts of Mexico, for example, the Copper Canyon, is spotty or non-existent. Do not display expensive-looking jewelry, large amounts of money, or other valuable items. Travelers to remote or isolated venues should be aware that they may be distant from appropriate medical, law enforcement, and consular services in an emergency situation. U.S. citizens applying for passports or requesting other fee-based services from consulates or the Embassy are encouraged to make arrangements to pay for those services using a non-cash method. U.S. citizens should be alert for credit card fraud, especially outside major commercial establishments. American employees of the U.S. Embassy are prohibited from hailing taxis on the street in Mexico City because of frequent robberies. U.S. citizens are urged to only use taxis associated with the organized taxi stands (“sitios”) that are common throughout Mexico. U.S. citizens should be alert to pickpockets and general street crime throughout Mexico, but especially in large cities. Between FY 2006 and FY 2009 the number of U.S. passports reported stolen in Mexico rose from 184 to 288.

Demonstrations and Large Public Gatherings Demonstrations occur frequently throughout Mexico and usually are peaceful. However, even demonstrations intended to be peaceful can turn confrontational and escalate to violence unexpectedly. Violent demonstrations have resulted in deaths, including that of an American citizen in Oaxaca in 2006. During demonstrations or law enforcement operations, U.S. citizens are advised to remain in their homes or hotels, avoid large crowds, and avoid the downtown and surrounding areas. Demonstrators in Mexico may block traffic on roads, including major arteries, or take control of toll-booths on highways. U.S. citizens should avoid confrontations in such situations. Since the timing and routes of scheduled marches and demonstrations are always subject to change, U.S. citizens should monitor local media sources for new developments and exercise extreme caution while within the vicinity of protests.

The Mexican Constitution prohibits political activities by foreigners, and such actions may result in detention and/or deportation. U.S. citizens are therefore advised to avoid participating in demonstrations or other activities that might be deemed political by Mexican authorities. As is always the case in any large gathering, U.S. citizens should remain alert to their surroundings. Further Information U.S. citizens are urged to monitor local media for information about fast-breaking situations that could affect their security. U.S. citizens are encouraged to review the U.S. Embassy’s Mexico Security Update . The update contains information about recent security incidents in Mexico that could affect the safety of the traveling public. For more detailed information on staying safe in Mexico, please see the State Department's Country Specific Information for Mexico . Information on security and travel to popular tourist destinations is also provided in the publication: "Spring Break in Mexico- Know Before You Go!! " For the latest security information, U.S. citizens traveling abroad should regularly monitor the State Department's internet web site , where the current Worldwide Caution, Travel Warnings, and Travel Alerts can be found. Up-to-date information on security can also be obtained by calling 1-888-407-4747 toll free in the United States and Canada, or, for callers from Mexico, a regular toll line at 001-202-501-4444. These numbers are available from 8:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m. Eastern Time, Monday through Friday (except U.S. federal holidays). American citizens traveling or residing overseas are encouraged to register with the appropriate U.S. Embassy or Consulate on the State Department's travel registration website . For any emergencies involving U.S. citizens in Mexico, please contact the U.S. Embassy or the closest U.S. Consulate. The numbers provided below for the Embassy and Consulates are available around the clock. The U.S. Embassy is located in Mexico City at Paseo de la Reforma 305, Colonia Cuauhtemoc, telephone from the United States: 011-52-55-5080-2000; telephone within Mexico City: 5080-2000; telephone long distance within Mexico 01-55-5080-2000. You may also contact the Embassy by e-mail.

Consulates (with consular districts): Ciudad Juarez (Chihuahua): Paseo de la Victoria 3650, tel. (011)(52)(656) 227-3000. Guadalajara (Nayarit, Jalisco, Aguas Calientes, and Colima): Progreso 175, telephone (011)(52)(333) 268-2100. Hermosillo (Sinaloa and the southern part of the state of Sonora): Avenida Monterrey 141, telephone (011)(52)(662) 289-3500. Matamoros (the southern part of Tamaulipas with the exception of the city of Tampico): Avenida Primera 2002, telephone (011)(52)(868) 812-4402. Merida (Campeche, Yucatan, and Quintana Roo): Calle 60 no. 338-K x 29 y 31, Col. Alcala Martin, Merida, Yucatan, Mexico 97050, telephone (011)(52)(999) 942-5700 or 202-250-3711 (U.S. number). Monterrey (Nuevo Leon, Durango, Zacatecas, San Luis Potosi, and the southern part of Coahuila): Avenida Constitucion 411 Poniente, telephone (011)(52)(818) 047-3100. Nogales (the northern part of Sonora): Calle San Jose, Nogales, Sonora, telephone (011)(52)(631) 311-8150. Nuevo Laredo (the northern part of Coahuila and the northwestern part of Tamaulipas): Calle Allende 3330, col. Jardin, telephone (011)(52)(867) 714-0512. Tijuana (Baja California Norte and Baja California Sur): Tapachula 96, telephone (011)(52)(664) 622-7400. All other Mexican states, and the Federal District of Mexico City, are part of the Embassy’s consular district. Consular Agencies: Acapulco: Hotel Continental Emporio, Costera Miguel Aleman 121 - local 14, telephone (011)(52)(744) 484-0300 or (011)(52)(744) 469-0556. Cabo San Lucas: Blvd. Marina local c-4, Plaza Nautica, col. Centro, telephone (011)(52)(624) 143-3566. Cancún: Plaza Caracol two, second level, no. 320-323, Boulevard Kukulcan, km. 8.5, Zona Hotelera, telephone (011)(52)(998) 883-0272 or, 202-640-2511 (a U.S. number). Ciudad Acuña: Closed until further notice. Cozumel: Plaza Villa Mar en el Centro, Plaza Principal, (Parque Juárez between Melgar and 5th ave.) 2nd floor, locales #8 and 9, telephone (011)(52)(987) 872-4574 or, 202-459-4661 (a U.S. number). Ixtapa/Zihuatanejo: Hotel Fontan, Blvd. Ixtapa, telephone (011)(52)(755) 553-2100. Mazatlán: Playa Gaviotas #202, Zona Dorada, telephone (011)(52)(669) 916-5889. Oaxaca: Macedonio Alcalá no. 407, interior 20, telephone (011)(52)(951) 514-3054, (011) (52)(951) 516-2853. Piedras Negras: Abasolo #211, Zona Centro, Piedras Negras, Coah., Tel. (011)(52)(878) 782-5586. Playa del Carmen: "The Palapa," Calle 1 Sur, between Avenida 15 and Avenida 20, telephone (011)(52)(984) 873-0303 or 202-370-6708(a U.S. number). Puerto Vallarta: Paradise Plaza, Paseo de los Cocoteros #1, Local #4, Interior #17, Nuevo Vallarta, Nayarit, telephone (011)(52)(322) 222-0069. Reynosa: Calle Monterrey #390, Esq. Sinaloa, Colonia Rodríguez, telephone: (011)(52)(899) 923 - 9331. San Luis Potosí: Edificio "Las Terrazas", Avenida Venustiano Carranza 2076-41, Col. Polanco, telephone: (011)(52)(444) 811-7802/7803. San Miguel de Allende: Dr. Hernandez Macias #72, telephone (011)(52)(415) 152-2357 or (011)(52)(415) 152-0068.