Texas officials are warning residents to avoid traveling to Mexico over the Spring Break holiday, citing cartel activity and violence.
“We have a duty to inform the public about safety, travel risks and threats,” said Texas Department of Public Safety Director Steven McCraw in a statement on Friday. “Based on the volatile nature of cartel activity and the violence we are seeing there; we are urging individuals to avoid travel to Mexico at this time.”
The Texas agency told residents that if US citizens decide to travel to Mexico, they are encouraged to register with an embassy or consulate before they go.
According to NPR, the warning comes after four US citizens were kidnapped in the Mexican city of Matamoros earlier this month. Two of the citizens were rescued, but members of a cartel group shot the other members of the party.
The NPR reports more than 500 Americans – and tens of thousands of Mexicans – remain missing in the country.
