The State Department is renewing its Mexico travel warning to Americans. Just ahead of spring break, the government is advising Americans to either skip Mexico trips, reconsider travel or at least use extra caution when traveling to multiple parts of the country because of the potential for violence.
“Violent crime — such as homicide, kidnapping, carjacking and robbery — is widespread and common in Mexico,” reads the advisory from the U.S. Department of State. Currently, there is a travel advisory in place for 30 of Mexico’s 32 states.
Related: Cancun travel advisory over taxis
This renewed advisory comes as we learn of violence that involved Americans in Matamoros, a town in Mexico near the Texas border.
The U.S. State Department breaks down its Mexican risk assessment on a detailed, state-by-state basis.
Six Mexican states have a “Do not travel” warning, including Colima, Guerrero, Michoacan, Sinaloa, Tamaulipas and Zacatecas.
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Related: The difference between CDC and State Department travel warnings
Seven states have a “reconsider travel” advisory including Baja and Jalisco – home to the popular destination of Puerto Vallarta.
Another 17 states get an “exercise increased caution” advisory, including Baja California Sur– home to the popular resorts of Cabo San Lucas, and Nayarit state, where you’ll find Riviera Nayarit. Mexico City is also included in that category.
The state of Quintana Roo on the Caribbean side of Mexico is also in the “exercise increased caution” category due to crime and the potential for kidnapping. Quintana Roo includes Cancun, Playa del Carmen and Tulum. It’s a region that’s generally considered safe for foreigners and is certainly popular for leisure travel.
The only states that aren’t under any kind of special advisory for U.S. travel are Campeche and Yucatan states.
The State Department also suggests visitors review personal security plans, be aware of their surroundings, pay attention to local media and immediately call Mexican 911 in case of any issues.
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