The State Department on Tuesday issued a strict travel warning for another Caribbean nation, warning that Jamaica is reeling from 65 murders this month.
The U.S. Embassy in Jamaica has raised its travel advisory to Level 3, “Please reconsider travel,” one of the most severe levels warning Americans to avoid travel altogether.
The embassy says crime has become so prevalent that tourists are no longer safe even within the shelters of resorts.
“Violent crimes such as home invasions, armed robberies, sexual assaults, and murders are on the rise. Sexual assaults occur frequently, including at all-inclusive resorts.” The warning was stated.
“Local police often do not respond effectively to serious criminal incidents. Even when arrests are made, charges and convictions are almost never achieved.”
“Families of Americans killed in accidents or homicides often wait more than a year for a final death certificate to be issued by Jamaican authorities.”
According to the US State Department, Jamaica has been reported to have one of the highest murder rates in the Western Hemisphere in recent years.
According to data, at least 65 people were killed between January 1 and 27 this year. Jamaican Police Show.
Remarkably, the high murder rate has decreased from last year, with 81 people killed in the first month of 2023.
At least 1,393 murders were reported for all of last year, following 1,498 murders in 2022.
According to the data, Jamaica has reported fewer than 1,000 murders a year since 2003. The country’s population is 2.8 million.
This is the second travel advisory issued by the State Department to Caribbean countries in recent days.
On Friday, the U.S. Embassy in the Bahamas issued a Level 2 “enhanced alert” warning for the island, urging Americans to keep a low profile during their visit and not to fight back if they become victims of crime.
Although not as severe as Jamaica, the Bahamas saw 18 murders in January alone (primarily motivated by gang violence) and was labeled unsafe for tourists.
“Homicides occur at all times, including on the streets in broad daylight,” the embassy said in a release, advising people to remain on “high alert” east of the Bahamian capital, Nassau.
