Press Releases 08
State Department Issues Updated Travel Alert
Statement by Ambassador Antonio O. Garza
Mexico City, October 14, 2008 - “It is crucial that the millions
of U.S. citizens who travel to Mexico every year for business,
pleasure or to visit family and friends have accurate, up-to-date
information that allows them to make prudent decisions and
avoid potentially dangerous situations. Every six months,
the State Department revises its Travel Alerts, and in light
of the increase in drug cartel-related violence, the latest
Travel Alert for Mexico has been updated with more specific
information on concerns in the border area. The recent midnight
attack at our Consulate in Monterrey further highlights the
relevance of this update.
“The vast majority of Americans travel in Mexico without
incident, and the information in the Travel Alert will help
ensure that continues to be the case. The Travel Alert for
Mexico issued today reflects the current reality in Mexico;
in particular, the stepped up violence along the U.S.-Mexico
border. These conditions are widely known and reported on
here in Mexico, as well as in the U.S. border region, but
many tourists and business people are less aware. The Travel
Alert does not advise Americans to avoid travel to any region
or city, but it does describe risks. It is important that
travelers be aware of these risks, factor them into their
planning and remain alert to their surroundings. To read this
updated Travel Alert, see: http://travel.state.gov/travel/cis_pa_tw/pa/pa_3028.html.
“The State Department publishes three kinds of travel information:
country-specific information, travel alerts, and travel warnings.
Country-specific information is available for every country
in the world and includes such data as the location of the
U.S. embassy and/or consulate(s), immigration practices, health
conditions, and crime and security information. Travel alerts
disseminate information about short-term or changing conditions
within a particular country that pose imminent risks to the
security of U.S. citizens. They are generally updated or revised
every six months. Travel warnings describe long-term, protracted
conditions that make a country dangerous or unstable. For
more information, see http://travel.state.gov.”
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