Crime continues at 1999's high levels. In Mexico City, crime has reached
critical levels. Low apprehension and conviction rates of criminals
contribute to the high rate of crime. Metropolitan areas other than the
capital are considered to have lower but still serious levels of crime
activity. Travelers to Mexico should leave valuables and irreplaceable
items in a safe place. All visitors to Mexico are encouraged to make use
of hotel safes when available, avoid wearing obviously expensive jewelry
or designer clothing, and carry only the cash or credit cards that will
be needed on each outing. Travelers are discouraged from bringing very
large amounts of cash into Mexico, as officials may suspect money
laundering or other criminal activity. During 1999, criminal activity in
Mexico City continued at 1997 and 1998's high rates, with marked
increase in the level of violence of the crimes committed, including
what appears to be a significant incidence of sexual assaults in crimes
committed against women. The most frequently reported crimes involve
taxi robberies, armed robbery, pickpocketing and purse snatching. In
several cases, tourists report that uniformed police are the crime
perpetrators, stopping vehicles and seeking money or assaulting and
robbing tourists walking late at night. The area behind the U.S. Embassy
and the Zona Rosa, a restaurant/shopping area near the Embassy, are
frequent sites of street crime against foreigners. Caution should be
exercised when walking in these areas, especially at night. Any U.S.
citizen victims of crime in Mexico are encouraged to report the incident
to local police authorities and to the nearest U.S. consular office.
U.S. citizens should be very cautious in using ATM cards and machines in
Mexico. If an ATM machine must be used, it should be only during the
business day at large protected facilities (preferably inside commercial
establishments, rather than at a glass-enclosed, highly visible ATM
machine on streets where criminals can observe financial transactions.)
U.S. citizens are advised to be careful when ordering beverages in local
nightclubs and bars, especially at night. Some establishments may
contaminate or drug the drinks to gain control over the patron. Victims,
who are almost always unaccompanied, have been robbed of personal
property and abducted and held while their credit cards were used at
various businesses and ATM locations around the city.
U.S. citizens should not hitchhike or accept rides from strangers
anywhere in Mexico.
Kidnapping, including the kidnapping of non-Mexicans, is increasing.
U.S. businesses with offices in Mexico or concerned U.S. citizens may
contact the U.S. Embassy to discuss precautions to take.
Travelers to Mexico should exercise caution when traveling on all
highways in Mexico. Of specific concern are Highway 190 (Tuxtla to
Tapachula), Highway 195 (Tuxtla to Villahermosa), Highway 186 (Chetumal
to Villahermosa), Highway 15 (Sinaloa), Express Highway 1 (Sinaloa), and
the highway from Altamirano to Ixtapa/Zihuatanejo. These highways have
seen particularly high levels of criminal assaults recently. Reported
incidents include robbery, kidnapping and the 1999
murder of an Egyptian
diplomat. The U.S. Embassy advises its personnel to exercise extreme
caution and not to travel on Mexican highways after dark for safety
reasons.
All bus travel should be done during daylight and on first-class
conveyances. These buses travel on "toll" roads that have a markedly
lower rate of incidents than buses (second and third class) that travel
the less secure "free" highways. While many of the assaults have
occurred in daylight, the Embassy nevertheless encourages daytime travel
to lower the chance of auto accidents.
Tourists should exercise caution by not walking on lightly frequented
beaches, off-the-path ruins, or trails. Additionally, visitors should
not carry excessive cash or valuables and place travel documents in a
safe place. In March 1999 a U.S. citizen woman was raped and murdered
in the vicinity of Puerto Escondido, Oaxaca.
