Thursday, 21 Oct., the Texas National Guard confirmed that one of its Soldiers died Wednesday as a result of gunshot wounds in Cuidad Juarez, Mexico. According to Mexican authorities, Pfc. Jose Gil Hernandez, 22, was killed during a drive-by shooting. It is imperative that all personnel understand the security situation in Mexico and carefully consider the advisability of traveling to Mexico. In short: Don't go unless you must.

Essential travel should be undertaken with extreme caution and a well-informed and sustained awareness of the local threat. While resort areas and tourist destinations in Mexico do not see the levels of drug-related violence and crime reported in the border region areas and in areas along major drug trafficking routes, violence has occurred throughout the country, including in areas frequented by American tourists.

Since 2006, the Mexican government has engaged in an extensive effort to combat drug-trafficking organizations (DTOs). Mexican DTOs, meanwhile, have been engaged in a vicious struggle with each other for control of trafficking routes. In order to prevent and combat violence, the government of Mexico has deployed military troops and federal police throughout the country. DTOs have erected unauthorized checkpoints, and killed motorists who have not stopped at them. In confrontations with the Mexican army and police, DTOs have employed automatic weapons and grenades. In some cases, assailants have worn full or partial police or military uniforms and have used vehicles that
resemble police vehicles.

Since 2006, large firefights have taken place in towns and cities in many parts of Mexico, often in broad daylight on streets and other public venues. Bystanders have been injured or killed in violent attacks in cities across the country, demonstrating the heightened risk of violence in public places. In recent years, dozens of U.S. citizens have been kidnapped and most of their cases remain unsolved. According to published reports, 22,700 people have been killed in narcotics-related violence since 2006.

The U.S. Embassy urges U.S. citizens to defer unnecessary travel to the Mexican states of Michoacán and Tamaulipas, to parts of Chihuahua, Sinaloa, Durango, and Coahuila. Of particular concern is violence along the U.S.-Mexico Border. Much of the country’s narcotics-related violence has occurred in the northern border region.

Since 2006, three times as many people have been murdered in Ciudad Juarez, in the state of Chihuahua, across from El Paso, Texas, than in any other city in Mexico.  More than half of all Americans killed in Mexico in FY 2009 (whose deaths were reported to the U.S. Embassy) were killed in the border
cities of Ciudad Juarez and Tijuana. The situation in northern Mexico remains very fluid; the location and timing of future armed engagements cannot be predicted.

Travelers that must travel to Mexico should leave their itinerary with a friend or family member not traveling with them, avoid traveling alone, and check with their cellular provider prior to departure to confirm that their cell phone is capable of roaming on GSM or 3G international networks. Cell phone coverage in isolated parts of Mexico, for example in the Copper Canyon, is spotty or non-existent.

Travelers to remote or isolated venues should be aware that they may be distant from appropriate medical, law enforcement, and consular services in an emergency situation. American citizens are urged to only use taxis associated with the organized taxi stands (“sitios”) that are common throughout Mexico.

U.S. citizens are urged to monitor local media for information about fast-breaking situations that could affect their security. U.S. citizens are encouraged to review the U.S. Embassy’s Mexico Security Update (http://www.usembassy-mexico.gov/eng/eacs_MexicoSecurityUpdate.html). The update contains information about recent security incidents in Mexico that could affect the safety of the traveling public.

For the latest security information, U.S. citizens traveling abroad should regularly monitor the State Department's internet web site (http://travel.state.gov/travel), where the current Worldwide Caution, Travel Warnings, and Travel Alerts can be found. Up-to-date information on security can also be obtained by calling 1-888-407-4747 toll free in the United States, or, for callers from Mexico, a regular toll line at 001-202-501-4444. American citizens traveling or residing overseas are encouraged to register with the appropriate U.S. Embassy or Consulate on the State Department's travel registration website (https://travelregistration.state.gov).

For any emergencies involving U.S. citizens in Mexico, please contact the U.S. Embassy or the closest U.S. Consulate.  24/7 numbers for the Embassy and Consulates are available on the DOS web site (http://travel.state.gov/travel).

For more detailed information on staying safe in Mexico, please see the State Department's Country Specific Information for Mexico (http://travel.state.gov/travel).

For additional information or assistance, GaDoD Community Members can call or e-mail the Force Protection Office at (404) 313-7763 / This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it .

Contact:

Lt. Col. Timothy A. Head
State Provost Marshal
Georgia National Guard
This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it
This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it
(404) 313-7763