Experts have warned that Americans seeking reprieve from the fierce winter blue should maintain their warnings as safety warnings increase amid the surge in Mexican murders.
Michael Brown, a former special agent at the Drug Enforcement Agency (DEA), now global director of anti-narcotics technology at Rigaku Analytical Devices, told Fox News Digital that Americans must be on high alert when traveling to Mexico.
“You're definitely at risk when you leave the resort, especially if you're an American woman,” he said. “You are at risk of an invitation or sold to sexual trade. It's very dangerous anywhere in Mexico outside the resort.”
“Even at resorts, the cartels have people scouting,” he said. “Yeah, here's a rich couple. Let's invite them. Let's grab them on Saturday night.”
“You can't underestimate it,” he said. “They are [the cartels] They see what's going on and look at people to scout potential targets. ”
data
According to US State Department data, between January 2022 and June 2022, 115 US citizens died in Mexico, 25 of which were murder.
The highest number of deaths in that period was the result of vehicle accidents, with 25 deaths in unspecified accidents as well.
A State Department spokesperson told Fox News Digital that the agency was unable to immediately provide recent statistics on the number of US citizens who died in Mexico in 2024, and pointed out that it was “improving” the report.
Brown noted that although the percentage of visitors to Mexico who have been victims of violent crime is small compared to the number of people traveling peacefully, it remains prudent to adhere to safety standards.
“But if it's your child, that's a big deal,” he pointed out. “So I don't think we can make a low percentage our moral guidance. It's either a crisis or not a crisis.”
Spring Break Advisory
The warning words of the former DEA agent came after the US embassy and consulate in Mexico issued a comprehensive recommendation this week.
This warning urges American citizens to take caution during their spring break trips.
“Violent crimes such as murder, trickery, carjacking and robbery are widespread and common in Mexico,” the US Embassy said.
We women killed in a popular Mexican resort town with Americans
An American woman died of apparent drug dealing crossfire at a popular Mexican beach resort in Tulum city.
The victim was 44-year-old Los Angeles native Nico Honabafsch, who authorities said she had died of a bastard.
In recent years, other tourists have died in Tulum on gang-related crossfires, including California travel bloggers and Germans.
American couple killed in Mexico finds shot in a pickup truck
Officials say the bodies of two Americans from California were found after being shot dead in a Mexican pickup truck.
According to Fox 11 Los Angeles, authorities responded to 50-year-old Gloria Ambriz (50) and 53-year-old Rafael Cardona (55) with 53-year-old Rafael Cardona (reporting a December shooting in Angamactilo in western Michoacán), citing the state attorney general's office.
The State Department noted in its recommendation to exercise “increased attention” when traveling to Angamactilo.
The couple visiting the family were traveling in a 2016 Ford Platinum pickup truck when gunmen fired near the intersection.
Ambris was declared dead at the scene, and Cardona died shortly after being taken to Puluandilo's hospital, officials said.
Two Australians, one American murdered on a surfing holiday in Mexico
In May, Mexican authorities confirmed that two Australians and Americans were killed on a surfing trip as the thief wanted tires from the truck.
Three men, brothers Jake and Callum Robinson of Australia and Jack Carter Lowd of America, were on camping and surfing trips along the southern coast of Ensenada.
All three bodies reported that they were later found with gunshot wounds to the head, citing sources from the Attorney General's Office.
State prosecutor Maria Elena Andredo Ramirez theorized that the murderer had passed by, looked at a foreign pickup truck and tent, and tried to steal the tires.
But “When [the foreigners] They appeared and caught them, they certainly resisted. ”
A photo shared by Zara Hull and her family shows the moments of Hal and Kaylie Pittze after drinking contaminated water on August 1st.
Hal and a group of friends were in Cancun for a four-day trip, which quickly became shorter.
Stephanie Snyder, whose son Jake is Hal's boyfriend, said in a series of Facebook posts that Hal and Pitze slipped their medicine while they were at a Cancun resort.
“What started as a fun holiday with friends has become our worst nightmare,” Snyder wrote.
After leaving the pool, Jake explains that Pitze was taken back to his wheelchair room and carried Hal. The hull was thrown out and he had what he thought was a seizure.
“Zara said she started to have what the resort doctors called “seizures” and needed to take her to the hospital. If she was there, the hospital asked for $10,000 just to see her to help her and begin treatment. The money was sent. By the next morning, they were told they needed more money to continue their treatment,” Snyder said.
Snyder said Pizze didn't end in the hospital, but she struggled the day after the incident.
“Neither girl has a memory of what happened after her last drink. We think it was in that water that did it. Both girls fell at the same time. They are both struggling with the feeling of not knowing what happened and 'why' they're why?',” Snyder said.
Almost 27 hours later, after spending thousands of dollars, Hull's family was able to negotiate with the US embassy and fly to Dallas to continue treatment.
