For any cavers still pondering whether to travel to Mexico to go caving:
http://travel.state.gov/travel/cis_pa_tw/tw/tw_5440.html
I am not sure what this says differently from the warning issued in September.
However, it clearly states to avoid the state of Tamaulipas, which some cavers
would drive thru if they were heading to the Sierra Madre area around Ciuidad
Victoria or points further south.
It prohibits Federal employees from certain areas. Included are
areas are in the
state of Jalisco. I states they can't go to Boystown in Laredo.
( Rumors are that place was abandoned by tourist years ago, and
I haven't heard of a caver going there in over 15 years. )
Note federal employees are prohibited from travelling several popular routes
used by cavers in the Monterrey area. It also says very clearly that the
area around the town of San Fernando is dangerous. ( This is the area
that has been in the news lately for the mass graves )
It subtly indicates some of the consulate offices have been downsized to the
point they are no longer functional.
It says to not travel Highway 57 in San Luis Potosi.
It subtly warns not to travel to Cuernavaca, Acapulco, Zihuatanejo, and
the beautiful tourist resort of Ixtapa. But more clearly warns to avoid
Ciudad Juarez, Tijuana, and Puerto Peñasco.
Personally, I think the statement is vague. It does not mention beheadings,
or some of the torture methods, and the public displaying of corpses with
narco-messages, or that the crime is so bad that the criminals are taking
real estate property from people. It doesn't mention all the escaped
convicts. It does not mention the bad guys are heavily armed with
automatic weapons. Nowhere in the article does it describe what the
bad guys look like, so how are you supposed to know how to keep a
watchful eye ? Nor does the article in any way refer the tourist to
the best up to date news sites on the web related to the narco-crime.
It seems designed more to please the Mexican Government, and not
hurt their feelings.
David
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