In 2019, the Supreme Court ruled that rape victims need not file a criminal complaint to access abortion services and that health providers need not verify that a crime was committed to perform an abortion. Read about our approach to external linking. President Lpez Obrador said in May 2019 that his government would reject the initiative and re-orient US-Mexican cooperation to target the drivers of migration to the US by reducing poverty in Central America and southeastern Mexico. Photograph: Emilio Espejel/The Guardian, 'An atmosphere of terror': the bloody rise of Mexico's top cartel, in Guadalajara with pictures by Emilio Espejel. It was mid-spring when residents of the wasteland behind Guadalajaras international airport noticed a dog roaming their community with a strange object in its mouth: a human forearm. Only 1.3 percent of crimes committed in Mexico are solved, the nongovernmental group Impunity Zero reports. Guadalajara has long been one of the most important addresses in the Mexican drug business. And theyd thrown something on them acid or something because it hadnt been long [since their murders] and the bodies were already in a real state of decay.. Mexico's homicide rate has been rising every year since 2014 but it remains well below those of other countries worldwide. See Entry requirements. Since its creation in 2010, the federal Special Prosecutors Office to investigate crimes against journalists has opened more than 1,000 investigations, brought 217 charges for crimes, and obtained 14 convictions. According to data from Statista, 21.73 million Americans traveled to Mexico in 2020 amid the pandemic, compared to 39.94 million in 2019. Chiapas has edged out Yucatn to become Mexico's safest state, according to Semforo Delictivo, a citizens' security watchdog. In September 2020, President Lpez Obrador asked Congress to approve holding a referendum on whether every president since 1988five in totalshould be put on trial for crimes including electoral fraud, corruption, and loss of lives to neoliberalism. Driving a car in rural areas alone is also unsafe. However, authorities often fail to investigate allegations of torture. They often bribe or infiltrate the security forces and pay off or threaten politicians so that they turn a blind eye to their illegal enterprises. Some people in rural, often indigenous areas have been unable to participate at all. Cartels target tourists you need to be careful. A complementary log-log multilevel regression was fitted separately for each survey year, controlling for neighborhood, school, family, and demographic characteristics. I speak Spanish well enough and this helps so much. You need to use some common sense.Don't accept rides from independent drivers.Ride only in approved or licensed taxis, which are labeled.Get your hotel to call a taxi for you, instead of hailing one on the street.Public transportation is safe but can be crowded and uncomfortable.Generally, it is much safer than renting a car and driving yourself. Water is contaminated in many areas, however. Share this via Email The overall crime rate in the United States is 47.70. Before being deported to their countries of origin, most people detained by the National Guard are sent to immigration detention centers, where people have complained of crowded and unsanitary conditions. Lyft, meanwhile, released its first ever safety report in October 2021, disclosing that it received 4,158 reports of sexual assault on its platform from 2017 to 2019. They found a hand, his torso and forearm. Mexico's location on the southern border of the US means that for decades it has been home to powerful criminal groups smuggling cocaine, heroine, marijuana and methamphetamines north to the United States, the world's largest market for illicit drugs. The US average is 10%. Sources indicate that organized criminal organizations have been working alongside common criminals to diversify . But with scenes such as those in the city of Culiacn in October, where residents had to take cover as a convoy of heavily armed cartel trucks rolled into the city, being shown on TV, more and more people are questioning whether they may be in danger. El Menchos leadership is indisputable [but] hes discreet. According to the Peruvian National Police ( PNP ), crime increased 15% in 2021. There is no place on Earth that is safe all the time. Mexico is also one of the most dangerous countries in the world for human rights defenders. SARs in Action - Issue 16 (July) ( pdf, 2.87 MB ) (1802 downloads) Popular. Pickpockets are present especially in the larger cities or where there are a lot of crowds so be careful in those instances. Cancun is a place where you go to relax on the beach and admire the smooth, clear sea. However, as production and distribution increased, the groups began fighting for territorial control and access to markets, leading to an increase in violence across Mexico. U.S. Department of State - United States Department of State 38.8. . When I travel alone I dont go out at night and I dont drive at night on the highways but have no trouble driving in the cities or towns. According to the U.S. Drug Enforcement Agency, Mexican cartels represent the greatest drug-related threat, supplying heroin, marijuana, methamphetamines, and other drugs, to the United States. Each Wednesday, desperate mothers, wives, sisters and daughters gather outside the citys forensic institute seeking news of loved ones. Organized crime entrepreneurs manage a diversity of businesses that include the sale of arms, kidnapping, extortion, human trafficking, migrant smuggling, smuggling of natural resources, money laundering, drug trafficking and a score of other crimes. It also diverted $4 million away from its own development programs for Central America to spend on migrant detention and removal. In 2019 138 bags stuffed with human remains were dumped in a nearby forest. Just use caution, and you should be ok. Dont be silly, mexico is alright, but as any latin american country, you cannot do things you can do in Europe like going out by night. Can Nigeria's election result be overturned? Tourists traveling to Mexico. Vast illicit fortunes have been made from the drug conflict tearing Jalisco, and Mexico, apart. In June 2021, OHCHR reported continuing torture, ill-treatment, enforced disappearances, and arbitrary detentions. That group was led by Nemesio Oseguera Cervantes or El Mencho as most know him a former police officer who is now the DEAs top Mexican target. Im still missing the other hand and his legs, she said. Schools closed in Mexico in March 2020, and the 2020-2021 school year is being conducted remotely, with classes broadcast on television and radio. The next afternoon grieving mothers gathered at the foot of a monument to the six teenage soldiers who died defending Mexicos capital from US troops in the mid-19th century. In its 2019 review of Mexico, the UN Committee Against Torture reported that of 3,214 torture complaints in 2016, only eight resulted in an arrest and trial. A 2019 study by the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights documented the Mechanisms problems in coordinating protective measures, providing resources, and establishing clear procedures. It is a beautiful city with a rich history and culture, and it is very walkable. Aggravated assault is the most common violent crime reported, accounting for 79% of all violent crime in New . It has many beautiful plazas, many, many splendid buildings architecturally wise. A website compared crime statistics between Mexico and the United States and found Mexico to be less dangerous in many statistical categories. In 2018, the number of drug-related homicides in Mexico rose to 33,341, a 15 percent increase from the previous yearand a record high. When travelling, keep an eye on your bags (which are safe enough in the luggage compartments underneath most buses). In 2019, journalists registered 609 threats, attacks, or other forms of aggressionreportedly the highest year on record. According to U.S. Govt reports, there is no evidence of foreign terror groups having a base in Mexico or working with drug cartels.There have been very few incidents of terrorism in recent years and those were isolated cases.While terrorism could happen anywhere, there seems to be little risk of it happening in Mexico. However, in 2019 and 2020, Mexico continued to receive nearly $150 million a year through the initiativemostly for counter-narcotics efforts. And some parts of Mexico . I have been back many times, sometimes alone, with my young children and with friends. According to OSAC (Overseas Security Advisory Council), Tulum is moderately safe to visit and travelers should exercise increased caution in the area. The year started under the shadow of the brutal murders of. NECC Financial Sanctions Evasion Russian Elites and Enablers ( pdf, 290 KB ) (12066 downloads) Popular. I go to sleep and wake up asking myself the same question: How much did you suffer?, 'The only two powerful cartels left': rivals clash in Mexico's murder capital, Original reporting and incisive analysis, direct from the Guardian every morning, A soldier guards a crime scene in Guadalajara, September 2020. Download Historical Data. We see it and we do nothing because we know exactly what will happen if we do, said another local. Full results from this survey and analysis will be . The organization's ranking system is based on an analysis of . The state is extremely dangerous due to ongoing. Crimes rates vary significantly between the states, with states with such as Alaska, New Mexico, and Tennessee experiencing much higher crime rates than states such as Maine, New Hampshire, and Vermont. For a complete crime and safety report for all of Mexico please visit El Crimen. In July 2019, Mexico supported a resolution condemning extrajudicial killings and forced disappearances in the Philippines. With a constituency of 4,600 U.S. companies and other organizations with . Why Alex Murdaugh was spared the death penalty, Why Trudeau is facing calls for a public inquiry, The shocking legacy of the Dutch 'Hunger Winter'. The head of the National Search Commission (CNB) has increased transparency about the number of disappeared persons, but prosecutors continue to make little effort to investigate forced disappearances or identify those responsible. His biography, which includes a stint working illegally in the US in the 1980s, is mostly a blur. Puerto Vallarta Crime Rate. Especially in tourist areas, scammers are on the prowl looking for a victim.Fake taxis, fake tour operators, souvenirs, and timeshares seem to be the most common scams.One very common scam is for restaurants to have a different menu and prices for tourists than what locals get.You won't get much help from the police if you are scammed, so you need to be careful. That mainly comes down to it being a big city. Five months later parts of his body were found at El Mirador too. City. Most states suspended family visits in response to the pandemic, which left many detained people without access to basic hygiene supplies such as soap. Aguilar, 63, said there were dozens of such clandestine burial sites across Jalisco state, a sun-scorched slice of west Mexico that is paying an increasingly nightmarish price for its pivotal role in North Americas multibillion-dollar drug trade. The do not travel designation is because of increased violence, drug cartel activity, and Covid-19. Many have taken refuge in makeshift camps or crowded shelters along the Mexican-US border. Instead, the vacuum left behind has led to further battles between rival gangs and warring pretenders to the vacant leadership positions. Winter nights are cool, but the days are warm to hot. These organizations have drawn from Mexico's long history of smuggling and its close proximity to the United States, the world's largest economy, to grow into a regional threat. The report further notes that safety and peacefulness have decreased eleven of the past fourteen years. Dangerous Areas in Cancun. Assaults are four times as likely to happen per thousand people in the United States than in Mexico. In January, the attorney general proposed extremely regressive justice system reforms that would have made it easier for prosecutors to use evidence obtained through torture, eliminated judicial review of pre-trial detention, and expanded the use of arraigo detention, which allows prosecutors to seek judicial authorization to detain a person for up to 40 days without charge while they continue their investigation. The population figures are based on the 2010 Census by Manzana. For his capture it offers a record $10m reward. Some of it is just the minerals in the water that we are not used to, but there are also contaminated systems in Mexico. Since 2015 the organized crime rate has deteriorated by 48.1 percent and is mainly attributed. Mexico's homicide rate has been rising every year since 2014 but it remains well below those of other countries worldwide. Do not travel there alone and exercise extreme caution. TYT.-. 11.2. Public transportation and taxis are safe, but nothing beats Uber as far as safety goes. The Jalisco cartel's violence has taken a horrific toll on the state and experts say it poses a threat to Mexico's government by Tom Phillips and Analy Nuo in Guadalajara with pictures by Emilio. I spent three months in Mexico in 1982 and was married on Isla Mujeres. Mexico has a lot to offer, from beautiful beaches, mountains, canyons, and rich cultural life from a diverse group of influences. Some areas are unsafe, and it is not safe to be out at night alone. Guadalajara is the second city in size after Mexico City and has a magnificent mix of colonial and Tapatios influences. Generally, the southern part of Mexico is much safer than the northern states. People are VERY friendly. Few photographs of him exist. As a result, Mexico has one of the lowest rates of Covid-19 testingand highest rates of positive test resultsin the world. The government has failed to provide adequate support or protection for the estimated 66,000 people seeking asylum in the US who have been placed in the Remain in Mexico program, including people at high risk of marginalization, like those with disabilities and chronic health conditions, older persons, and children. As published in The Yucatan Times, OSAC . Alleged Extrajudicial Killings Between 2016 and 2019, police and other security. Torture is widely practiced in Mexico to obtain confessions and extract information. In 2019, the Supreme Court ruled that a same-sex couple from Aguascalientes state should be allowed to register their child, to protect the best interest of the child and uphold principles of equality and non-discrimination. It is most frequently applied during the time between when victims are detained, often arbitrarily, and when they are handed to civilian prosecutorsa period when they are often held incommunicado at military bases or illegal detention sites. There is something intriguing for everyone. U.S. Consulate General Matamoros, Mexico E-mail Website: U.S. Consulate General Matamoros State Department - Consular Affairs 888-407-4747 or 202-501-4444 Mexico Country Information Data were drawn from two waves of a Mexican national survey of public high school students in Mexico. Hold-ups of buses happen from time to time . His successor in office, Enrique Pea Nieto, at first said that he would tackle the roots of the violence but his policy closely resembled that of Mr Caldern, going after the heads of the most powerful criminal organisations. Video, Russian minister laughed at for Ukraine war claims, Deadly attacks by gunmen on targets including an amusement arcade, a group of indigenous musicians returning from a concert, according to figures released by the National Institute for Statistics, Mexico's bid to detain El Chapo son 'a failure of everything', He defended his government's decision to free Ovidio Guzmn Lpez by arguing that the move had prevented a bloodbath, No rush to join Mexico's new police force, US-made cheese can be called 'gruyere' - court, AOC under investigation for Met Gala dress, The children left behind in Cuba's exodus, Saving Private Ryan actor Tom Sizemore dies at 61, Alex Murdaugh's legal troubles are far from over, Nelson's 97th-minute stunner gives Arsenal victory, Sonic boom heard as RAF Typhoon jets escort plane, Walkie Talkie architect Rafael Violy dies aged 78. Abortion is available on request for anyone, up to 12 weeks of pregnancy, in Mexico City and, since October 2019, in Oaxaca state. Because one person couldnt do all this on their own.. The Lpez Obrador administration has taken steps to determine and publish the true number of people disappeared. Youre afraid to go out at night. Forbes Magazine interviewed an FBI agent who worked in Mexico, and he said the country is safe if you use common sense. Preliminary figures released by Mexico's National Institute for Statistics for the first six months of 2019 suggest a drop of 3.2% in homicides compared to the same period the previous year. We found them wrapped in plastic sheets, said Guadalupe Aguilar, a local human rights activist, as she stood beside the shallow grave. Crime Index. Its not that bad last time i went was when i was real little. The government reported more than 75,000 people disappeared, as of November 2020the vast majority from 2006 onwards. Mexicos Grand Canyon or Copper Canyon or Barranca del Cobre is a spectacular group of deep canyons. Rival gangs battle for territory and over control of lucrative smuggling routes and often use gruesome tactics such as hanging bodies from bridges and decapitations to spread terror and fear. 3. So much to explore. Moreover, Mexican cartels killed at least 130 candidates and politicians in the lead-up to Mexicos 2018 presidential elections. In July 2020, 12 civilians were killed in a shootout with soldiers in Tamaulipas state. There have been earthquakes in mountainous areas, as well as hurricanes along the coast, but it is rare to have a major disaster in Mexico.Keep an eye on weather forecasts as you would at home.The infrastructure in Mexico is not that great, so if there is one, it may be worse than if you were at home. The states of Sinaloa, Nuevo Leon, Guerrero, and Michoacan all have do not travel advisories from the state department. The Mexico 2017 Crime and Safety Report for Mexico City by the US Department of State's Overseas Security Advisory Council (OSAC) indicates that crimes such as armed robberies, kidnappings, car thefts, credit card fraud and residential theft are "daily concerns" (US 24 Feb. 2017). If you go to Mexico, you might get your head cut off. New self-defense militia appears in Chiapas, Mexico to fight organized crime. In August, the CNDH stated the National Migration Institute (INM) was responsible for the mans death for failing to implement procedures to prevent Covid-19 infections in detention centers and for failing to provide the man with adequate medical attention. Victims of cartel turf wars, random crime and domestic violence included 172 women and 43 minors; citizens' groups demand police accountability EL PASO, Texas (Border Report) Juarez closed 2021 with 1,420 homicides - a 14 percent decrease over an even more violent 2020. Mexico City, for instance, is at a high elevation and that can give you altitude sickness. At no point did I feel in danger. The Mexican government officially declared war on criminal organizations in 2006, when former President Felipe Calderon launched an initiative to combat cartels using military force. Join our Travel Advice & Support FB Group. You can also take guided day trips from there to see the Mayan Ruins of Chichen Itza or Tulum, which are also safe. In September, the Secretary of Defense announced that only military policeno civilian prosecutorswere investigating. UPDATE: March 10, 2022. Ive never lived through a civil war but I think this is what living through a war must be like, said one. I do not personally recommend Quintana Roo, except for the islands of Isla Mujeres and Cozumel. A police commander speaks to press about a crime scene. Last month came another reminder of the cartels punch: the body of a key defector, El Cholo, was dumped on a park bench in Tlaquepaque, a tourist town near Guadalajara famed for its pottery and mariachis. Public transportation is excellent. A pandemic-focused survey update of approximately 5,000 Americans was fielded in February and March 2022, and our analysis of the most recent FBI crime data (crimes reported in 2020) was completed in March as well. Healthcare workers have faced attacks and discrimination, and some. But authorities say the area, like increasing swaths of Latin Americas second largest economy, is controlled by the Cartel Jalisco Nueva Generacin (Jalisco New Generation Cartel), a criminal behemoth now considered Mexicos most indomitable mafia firm. Please sort this out, its confusing, from what youre posting most of the dangers of swimming, riptides, sharks etc are in CSL. People living in poor or indigenous areas are 50 percent more likely than others to die of Covid-19. But one underworld yarn suggests the split actually began three years earlier, in 2007, when one Guadalajara narco spilled a glass of hibiscus tea over a rival during a gathering in the citys east. The EU has repeatedly denounced killings of journalists, activists, politicians and judges in Mexico, and urged Mexico to ensure thorough investigations and accountability for the crimes committed. There were 26 of them here. Eventually, I made my way to Mrida, and really fell in love with that city. I have noticed that Mazatlan is not covered within your list, is there a reason this city has been overlooked. Officials have conceded that more than 26,000 bodies remain unidentified. I HAVE TRAVELLED TO SEVERAL MEXICAN CITIES AND HAVE YET TO EXPERIENCE ANY PROBLEMS ALWAYS BEING CAREFUL ABOUT OUR SURROUNDINGS AND ALWAYS USING A CAB RECOMMENDED BY OUR HOTEL FOR ALL OUR LOCAL EXCURSIONS, ALWAYS TIPPING THEM FAIRLY AND ESTABLISHING A TRUSTING RELATIONSHIP WITH OUR DRIVERS AND REUSING THEM. I know there are worse places to visit in the world but this gets 4 stars because it is not that interesting. Nine people shot dead in Mexico amusement arcade, Second Mexico butterfly activist found dead, Missing Mexican butterfly activist found dead, Ex-baseball star Narciso Elvira killed in Mexico, Mexico indigenous group enlists children as police, Indigenous musicians killed in Mexico ambush, More than 60,000 Mexicans 'disappeared' in drug war, Street fighting in Bakhmut but Russia not in control, Russian minister laughed at for Ukraine war claims. 2023 Copyright by Travel Safe - Abroad. Respect for the Integrity of the Person a. The ITF Road Safety Annual Report 2021 examines the development of road safety in the year 2020 during the Covid-19 pandemic. Guerrero Community Police members patrol the hills in Carrizalillo, Mexico on March 24, 2018. The vast majority of Covid-19 patients who die have never received intensive care. I have had a connection with Yucatn since that day. No way. Blend in. The Mexican government makes a lot of effort to keep it that way. There may be some in the northern part, but NOT in Mexico City! Mexico: Failings in investigations of feminicides in the State of Mexico violate women's rights to life, physical safety and access to justice - Amnesty International Barcroft Media via Getty Images News September 20, 2021 Read about our approach to external linking. Coronels elimination which the Drug Enforcement Agency (DEA) called a crippling blow to the Sinaloa cartel he represented caused a local rupture that paved the way for the emergence of a new group taking the name of Mexicos seventh biggest state. As with journalists, violence against human rights defenders is rarely investigated or prosecuted. The violent crime rate in the United States has decreased sharply over the past 25 years. President Lpez Obrador's strategy to create a National Guard has so far not yielded tangible results. The group marched around the memorial to mourn more recently lost souls, and Mara Guadalupe Ayala, 47, described the disappearance of her 25-year-old son, Alfredo, in September 2019.