According to the Epoch Times, the U.S. State Department recently issued a new travel warning for U.S. citizens who decide to travel to Mexico.

In this warning, the State Department had a list of five Mexican states with “Do Not Travel” warnings.

On December 17, 2019, the department announced an “exercise increased caution” travel warning because of increased crime and kidnapping

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The “Do not travel” warnings only apply to five Mexican states, which include Colima, Guerrero, Michoacán, Sinaloa, and Tamaulipas.

The following cities were listed as potential danger zones: Chihuahua, Coahuila, Durango, Jalisco, Mexico, Morelos, Nayarit, Nuevo Leon, San Luis Potosi, Sonora, and Zacatecas.

American citizens who travel to Mexico are recommended to have traveling companions and family that stay home who are aware of their travel plans. Additionally, the department advices that these Americans traveling Mexico send a friend their GPS location. Some other suggestions include “using toll roads where possible, avoid driving alone at night, exercise increased caution when visiting local bars, nightclubs, and casinos, be vigilant at banks and ATMs, and to not display signs of wealth.”

In addition, U.S. government employees have been advised to not travel between cities at night, to not ride with taxis on the street, and to use dispatched vehicles instead.

“The U.S. government has limited ability to provide emergency services to U.S. citizens in many areas of Mexico, as travel by U.S. government employees to certain areas is prohibited or significantly restricted,” the department’s website stated.

“Violent crime—such as homicide, kidnapping, carjacking, and robbery—is widespread.”

Insight Crime reported that 17,608 people were killed in Mexico during January to June 2019, thus making it the highest homicide rate on record in recent history.

Mexico is home to some of the largest and deadliest criminal syndicates on the planet.

“These organizations have drawn from Mexico’s long history of smuggling and its close proximity to the United States, the world’s largest economy, to grow into a regional threat,” Insight Crime reported.

“Their armament, training and tactics have become increasingly sophisticated as the Mexican government has ramped up efforts to combat them.”

After President Donald Trump made an announcement on November 26, 2019, the State Department is expected to formally declare Mexican drug cartels as terrorist organizations.

After a group is designated as a terrorist organization, per U.S. law, it becomes illegal for Americans to knowingly provide them support. Members of these orgs also can’t enter the country and could face deportation. Financial institutions that realize they have funds in connection to a terrorist group must block the money and make the U.S. Treasury Department aware of this. Further, suspected operatives of foreign terrorist organizations can face surveillance under the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act.