U.S. State Dept. places Mexico placed under Level 2 travel advisory; Chicago area teen was shot during visit

CBS News

2 days ago

The U.S. State Department has a new warning for anyone planning to go to Mexico in the near future.
The State Department said Mexico is under a Level 2 advisory, and people should be cautious of terrorism, crime, and kidnapping. This does not mean people should not travel there, but experts say travelers should do their research before going.
Jason Peña's family has seen the threat of danger in Mexico firsthand in a tragic way. The 14-year-old Oak Forest boy went into a coma after a man shot him in the head.
It happened along a highway while Jason was visiting his family in Durango, Mexico in December.
Jason's mom said only 30% of his brain can function now, even with months of rehab. Authorities said his dad, his uncle, and a third man died in the shooting after a family celebration.
"In my perspective, on a daily basis, I work with individuals who have fled imminent danger in Mexico," said Pastor Julie Contreras, an immigration advocate who works with Jason's family.
After countless cases she has dealt with in Mexico, Contreras said travelers have limited government assistance and emergency services to access.
"The family had to hire attorneys in Mexico, pay a lot of money to see justice be served," she said.
While the State Department issued a Level 2 advisory for the whole country of Mexico this week, each Mexican state might have its own risks.
The states of Colima, Guerrero, Michoacan, Sinaloa, Tamaulipas, and Zacatecas are all under a Level 4 warning — meaning the State Department advises not visiting them at all due to homicides and shootings.
Several other states — Baja California, Chiapas, Chihuahua, Coahuila, Guanajuato, Jalisco, Morelos, and Sonora — are under a Level 3 advisory in which it is advised to "reconsider travel."
Mexico City and the State of Mexico, as well as the states of Aguascalientes, Baja California Sur, Durango, Hidalgo, Nayarit, Nuevo León, Oaxaca, Puebla, Querétaro, Quintana Roo, San Luis Potosí, Tabasco, Tlaxcala, and Veracruz are under a Level 2 warning, or "exercise increased caution." Quintana Roo includes such popular tourist destinations as Cancún and Cozumel.
Only two states — the states of Campeche and Yucatán — are under a Level 1 advisory in which travelers may exercise normal precautions.
All this being said, CBS News Travel Editor Peter Greenberg said almost every country has a travel advisory.
"Level 2 means travel with increased caution, which doesn't worry me at all," said Greenberg.
But he said people should still study up before going anywhere.
"All it really means is increase situational awareness, which every traveler should have, and it should not stop you from traveling to Mexico — or Cleveland, for that matter," Greenberg said.
As for Jason, Contreras said it is a miracle he's alive. But she said no one's vacation should cost them their life.
"It still doesn't change the fact that that mother had to go through several hoops and receive humanitarian assistance from organization to bring her child — children — to safety," Contreras said.
Under the advisory, the State Department said anyone who is stopped at a road checkpoint while traveling should cooperate with officials. People should also avoid traveling in the dark or alone, especially in remote areas.