New Warning Raises Travel Awareness

Thursday, 28 October 2010 21:42

By Morgan Galbraith 

As the U.S. State Department continues to extend its travel warning for Mexico, Tucsonans are questioning the importance of their cross-border trips.

“I used to go to Nogales all the time,” said Lindsey O’Neill, a junior at the University of Arizona. “But as the violence continues to increase, I am too afraid to go. My mom is so worried about me going that she keeps my passport.”

On Sept. 10, the U.S. State Department travel warning advised citizens to postpone unnecessary travel to northern Mexico border cities including Tijuana, Nogales, Ciudad Juarez, Nuevo Laredo, Monterrey and Matamoros.  

The travel warning followed a shooting on Aug. 20 in front of the American Foundation School in Monterrey, along with the recent kidnappings in the area.

The warning says that as of Sept. 10, no minor dependents of U.S. government employees are permitted to remain in Monterrey.

Over the past three years, killings in Mexico have increased dramatically as drug cartels continue to gain power. The Mexican government has deployed troops and federal police around the country to combat drug trafficking.

Although much of Mexico's drug-related crime has occurred in the northern border region, violence is a concern throughout the country, including in areas frequented by American tourists, a state department official said.

However, the warning points out that millions of U.S. citizens travel to Mexico safely each year for study, tourism or business, but those numbers may begin drop as travelers grow wary of the area.

Julie Akin, a representative at Sanborn’s Auto Insurance, said their business has been affected, especially in comparison to three years ago. “This particular travel advisory has not affected us, but everything going on down there has,” Akin said. “People that go on a regular basis still go, but people that go every once in awhile are more hesitant. Business is definitely down from what it was three years ago.”

This travel warning also asks citizens to take caution when driving along Mexican highways near the U.S.-Mexico border. 

Susana Elena Aguirre, 23, who travels to Mexico by bus to visit her family in Mexico, says the travel advisory will not stop her. “Small border towns within Mexico and certain areas such as Mexico City are dangerous right now,” Aguirre said. “But I am not going to stop seeing my family because of a travel warning. I just have to be more aware of my surroundings and be a safe traveler.”

Even with the warning, it seems as though some travel businesses have not been affected.

A representative at San Xavier Insurance said their business has not slowed down, although they do warn their customers about travel advisories. The representative said that they sell insurance for cars going to Mexico, so if there is a travel warning, they always warn their clients. 

They also ask their customers to give them feedback about their travel. Since clients are there for a long time, San Xavier In­surance would rather get word of mouth from their customers than hearsay.

Since 2006, 22,700 people have been killed in narcotics-related violence, according to a State Department report. Most of the deaths are members of cartels, but innocent citizens have also been killed by cartel shootings.

Memo Romero, 33, from Yuma, said that he will not go see his family in Mexico because the way he looks would put him in danger. “Since I have a lot of tattoos on my arms, people see me as a thug,” Romero said. “With the current travel advisory and gang warfare, that’s a dangerous situation to be in, especially in Mexico.”

A State Department official said that victims of crime are urged to contact the consular section of the nearest U.S. Con­sulate or Embassy for advice and assistance.

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