Weeks after the high-profile kidnapping of four Americans brought the country's security crisis to the attention of the world, Mexican President Andrés Manuel López Obrador maintained on Monday that Mexico is a safer country than the United States.
"Mexico is a safer country than the US. Traveling securely through Mexico is not problematic. During his morning press conference, he stated, "That's something the US citizens also know, just like our fellow Mexicans that live in the US.
Early in March, as the kidnapped Americans were traveling through the Mexican border city of Matamoros, they were ambushed by armed men who were allegedly affiliated with the Gulf cartel. A Mexican bystander and two of the Americans perished in the incident.
Due to the possibility of cartel violence, the Texas Department of Public Safety advised residents on Friday to stay away from spring break travel to Mexico.
When asked about security in his country by a local reporter, López Obrador mentioned the number of American tourists and expats who had recently flocked to famous beach locations and Mexico City to take advantage of the country's warmer climate and lower cost of living. Mexico receives billions in annual earnings from visitors from the US.
"According to US government notifications, only the states of Campeche and Yucatan are safe for travel. If that were the case, a great deal fewer Americans would be moving to Mexico City and the rest of the nation to reside. Many Americans have moved to reside in Mexico in recent years. So what's going on? Why the suspicion?
The president of Mexico further asserted that "conservative US politicians are waging a campaign against Mexico because they don't want this nation to keep growing for the benefit of the Mexican people."
While parts of Mexico are established touristic destinations, violent crime including kidnapping and human trafficking plague parts of the country, particularly in border areas. Mexico’s overall homicide rate is among the highest in the world, and the country has been troubled by an epidemic of disappearances with more than 100,000 Mexicans and migrants still missing.
Accusations of inaction and corruption against Mexican officials have also eroded public trust; last year, a Mexican government report blamed the country’s own military and police for the infamous disappearance of 43 students in 2014.
The US State Department has “do not travel” advisories in place for six of Mexico’s 32 states, including northeast Tamaulipas state, where Matamoros is located. It warns Americans to “reconsider travel” to seven Mexican states and “exercise increased caution” in 17 states.
Canada and the United Kingdom also have detailed travel warnings for Mexico.
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