Mexico is one of the ten most visited countries in the world. Every year, 40 million travelers from all over the world come to Mexico to admire the beauty and historical sights of this country, relax in the resorts of Cancun and Los Cabos, conduct business negotiations or visit relatives. Thousands and even hundreds of thousands of migrants from neighboring Latin American countries are crossing into Mexico in hopes of seeking asylum in the United States. And they all ask the same question: How dangerous is Mexico?
Almost daily there are reports of murders in Mexico, kidnappings, and drug cartel wars. The Russian-language press especially loves such stories, for some reason choosing only “chernukha” from the daily flow of news information about Mexico. If you are planning a trip to Mexico and read the press, you may get the impression that this will be some kind of extreme entertainment, when it is better not to leave the hotel grounds, and trips to the pyramids involve a risk to your life.
So let's talk about safety in Mexico.
Quintana Roo.Mexico's leading travel industry, yet the region has also seen a sharp rise in violent deaths. In 2018, the number of murders on the Caribbean coast of Mexico increased by 132%, setting another record. If we say that the average murder rate per 100,000 inhabitants in Mexico is 24.8, then in Quintana Roo it is 35. Mass crimes in the state are almost always associated with competition for the drug trade and most often do not affect ordinary residents, much less guests of the states. Guest power zones of Cancun, Riviera Maya and Tulum are considered 100% safe. If you see an army or a lot of police on the streets or beaches of Cancun, know — nothing happened, they are just protecting you.
Guerrero.Acapulco was once considered the most luxurious resort in Mexico, but then gangs came there. Now Acapulco is considered the most dangerous city in Mexico, where huge travel flows and a gang war for control of drug trafficking coexist. It is also a money laundering center in Mexico. The state of Guerrero was also considered the center of poppy cultivation in Mexico. But in recent years, cheaper synthetic drugs such as fentanyl have significantly weakened the heroin business in Guerrero. By the way, the Mexican authorities are now trying to prevent a repeat of the Acapulco situation in Cancun, and quite successfully.
Guanajuato.San Miguel de Allende is considered one of the most visited tourist cities in Mexico. However, in 2018, the number of murders here increased by 122%. In 2018, there were 2,609 murders in the state of Guanajuato, and the murder rate per 100,000 inhabitants rose to a critical level of 40. Amazingly, in the same 2018, Travel and Leisure readers named San Miguel de Allende the best city to visit not only in Mexico, but throughout Latin America for the second year in a row. This once again confirms the existence of two parallel realities in Mexico. The rampant violence in the state is mainly related to the illegal trade in fuel and has little impact on the lives of ordinary residents.
Colima.This is the smallest, but also the most dangerous state in Mexico. It also has the lowest population. Due to this, a 27% increase in the state's homicide rate in 2018 raised the homicide rate to 80 per 100,000 residents. By comparison, the two most dangerous countries in the world, El Salvador and Honduras, have murder rates of about 60 per 100,000 inhabitants.
Baja California.In the US border city of Tijuana, homicides rose 44% in 2018, surpassing the 2,000 mark, as the Sinaloa and Jalisco drug cartels battled over smuggling routes into the US through Baja California. Baja California became the second most dangerous state in Mexico with a murder rate of 71 per 100,000 inhabitants.
Baja California Sur.After the previous surge, Los Cabos and La Paz dropped their homicide rates by 50%. This happened after large forces of military and federal police were sent there to ensure security. The Mexican government sees Los Cabos as a new tourism project that can compete with Cancun, and therefore spares no federal resources to prevent gangs from establishing their own order in the region.
Morelos.The city of Cuernavaca was once the most dangerous city in Mexico, but the situation has been steadily improving in recent years. However, the US State Department issued a travel warning for Morelos after the nightclub «Sofia» 1 person was killed and 12 were injured as a result of a racketeering showdown. Two months earlier, the nightclub «Yanis» was shot at and Molotov cocktails were thrown at him, in addition to this due to a racketeer showdown.
Yucatan.Merida has been named one of the most desirable cities to live in Latin America. The murder rate here is just 3 per 100,000 inhabitants, which is significantly lower than in Thailand in particular.
The recommendations for travel to Mexico, which are regularly published by the US State Department, look quite representative. Thus, the State Department generally does not recommend visiting the following Mexican states: Colima, Tamaulipas, Michoacan, Sinaloa, Guerrero.
The US State Department issues serious warnings regarding visiting the following states: Aguascalientes, Baja California Sur (except San Jose del Cabo, Cabo San Lucas, La Paz, which are safe), Campeche, Chiapas (except Palenque, San Cristobal de las Casas, Tuxtla Gutierrez, which are safe).
When visiting the following states, the State Department recommends that you be extremely careful and not leave the guest state zones: Chivava, Coahuila, Durango, State of Mexico, Guanajuato, Hidalgo, Jalisco, the capital of Mexico City, Morelos, Nayarit, Nuevo Leon, Oaxaca, Puebla, Queretaro, Quintana Roo, San Luis Potosi, Sonora, Tabasco, Tlaxcala, Veracruz, Yucatan, Zacatecas.
If you noticed, almost every state in Mexico is listed here. Because there is no state in Mexico that does not have a warning from the United States government. Take this with a grain of salt, remembering that the US considers almost any developing country unsafe for its citizens to travel.
The security levels of various states in Mexico are presented in a map prepared by the US State Department. The more pale green the shade is, the safer the state. The more shades of red, the more dangerous the state is considered.
How the Mexican government fights gangs
It appears that as long as gang activity does not go beyond its parallel reality and does not affect the lives of ordinary people, the Mexican government does not intervene in the situation or acts only under pressure from the United States. However, this is not the case. The scale of this war is such that defeating organized crime requires incredible resources that the Mexican government does not have. In addition, Mexico is considered only a transit point on the way to the United States, and the bulk of drugs is produced in neighboring powers of Central and South America, whose governments are not so actively fighting the cartels.
In December 2006, then-Mexican President Felipe Calderon launched the "war on drugs" by deploying more than 50,000 military and federal police officers. During his six years in office, the official death toll from drug-related violence was 60,000. According to experts, this figure could be much higher.
>His successor, Enrique Peña Nieto, initially said he would fight the causes of violence. But his policies were very similar to those of Calderon, who persecuted the heads of the most powerful criminal organizations.His biggest achievement was the capture of Sinaloa Cartel leader Joaquin «El Chapo» Guzman in 2016. But even after his extradition to the United States, Guzman's cartel remains a powerful force.
In October 2019, one of El Chapo's sons, Ovidio Guzmán López, was captured by federal forces and then released on the personal orders of current Mexican President Andrés Manuel López Obrador after Sinaloa Cartel militants effectively took the city of Culiacan hostage, demanding the release of their leader's son. Lopez Obrador explained his decision by the desire to avoid bloodshed.
His critics say the president's lack of a clear strategy to combat criminal groups has led to further increases in violence. While the release of El Chapo's son saved lives that day, it set a dangerous precedent when ruthless cartels saw the current government's weaknesses.
General safety tips in Mexico
The simplest advice — Use common sense and exercise caution. The same can be advised when you are in any unfamiliar country.
If you are a European, a “gringo”, a guest of the state, you are already in the crosshairs of various scammers. You are their wallet. They count on your naivety and carelessness. Don't let scammers take you by surprise!
We have already talked about drugs. The further you stay away from drugs, the safer you will feel in Mexico.
People who are intoxicated are robbed much more often. Watch the quality of alcohol you consume. If you are drunk, it is better to call a taxi than to walk to the hotel.
At night, try not to leave the state zones, do not travel outside the city and avoid deserted places. Even a public beach can be unsafe at night. If the nearby convenience store doesn't sell alcohol at night, accept it and wait until the morning instead of going to other stores looking for alcohol.
Do not open doors to strangers.
Don't flaunt your wealth and avoid talking about it. This will remove another target from your back. Avoid wearing expensive jewelry or watches. Limit the amount of cash or bank cards you carry with you.
Keep a close eye on your belongings and luggage, even in apparently safe areas such as your hotel lobby.
Avoid questionable establishments, many of which are considered the only establishments open until the early hours of the morning. These are the hottest spots for crime. Know how to leave in time to protect yourself from possible attacks.
Outside the city, try to use toll roads. We understand that it is not permissible not to use free ones, but look for a reasonable compromise.
If you're traveling alone, make friends who are just like you. Together it is easier to fight off attacks.
Be sure to learn a few phrases in Spanish. Firstly, this will show you that you are not new to Mexico, and secondly, you will feel much more confident.
Keep your camera in your bag, not around your neck. In addition, it is better not to carry a mobile phone in your hand or pocket.
We want Mexico's best attractions, beautiful beaches, food, rich culture and hospitable people to make your trip to Mexico absolutely unforgettable. Don't be afraid of anything! Just be confident, follow simple safety rules, and you will want to return to Mexico again and again!