Cartel-Related Crime Prompts US to Issue Travel Advisories for Mexican Ports
As cartel-related crime continues to spread across Mexico, the US government has issued new travel advisories for two Mexican ports deemed to be too dangerous due to a surge in crime and kidnappings. According to the US Department of State website, all 31 entities in Mexico, as well as Mexico City, are under some kind of travel warning.
Thirteen states in Mexico, including Sinaloa, are considered high-risk for travelers due to elevated crime and murder rates. One of these states is Colima, a small state along Mexico’s Pacific coast, which is now classified as a “Do Not Travel” location. With a murder rate almost five times higher than the national average in Mexico, Colima has seen 623 intentional homicides between January and October of this year.
The port of Manzanillo, the state’s largest city, has been given a Level 4 “Do Not Travel” label due to high murder rates and other crimes. The US Department of State has warned that “violent crime and gang activity are widespread” and that “U.S. citizens and LPRs have been victims of kidnapping.”
Despite the recommendations, the US government has exempted the actual cruise port area of Manzanillo, and US government employee travel is limited to the tourist and port areas of the city. However, Royal Caribbean is no longer stopping at Manzanillo, although Princess Cruises still has ships scheduled to visit the port in January and February of next year.
Puerto Chiapas, located in the state of Chiapas, has received a Level 3 “Reconsider Travel” warning due to increasing levels of crime in the area. The port is known for its agricultural goods such as coffee, and Norwegian, Holland America, and Princess cruises generally sail to Puerto Chiapas. As of now, only Princess Cruises has scheduled stops at the port, which are part of longer cruises that have not been canceled.