US Travel Advisory Remains For Mexico, Haiti

 WASHINGTON - U.S. citizens are still being warned to stay away from Mexico and Haiti.

The U.S. recently renewed its travel advisory against Mexico even as Haiti remains on the list of places to avoid. Rising drug violence in northern and central Mexico has led to the new travel advisory, issued over the Easter weekend.

The travel warning supersedes the September 10, 2010 warning.

Haiti has been on the Department of State list since December 9, 2010 with a renewal on January 20, 2011. The U.S. warns Americans to avoid Haiti because of its critical crime level, cholera outbreak, frequent and violent disturbances in Port-au-Prince and in provincial cities, lack of adequate medical facilities, and limited police protection.

“The number of victims of violent crime, including murder and kidnapping, continues to increase in Port-au-Prince. Some kidnapping victims have been physically abused, sexually assaulted, shot, and even killed,” states the warning that remains current. “No one is safe from kidnapping, regardless of occupation, nationality, race, gender, or age. In a number of cases in the past year, travelers arriving in Port-au-Prince on flights from the United States were attacked and robbed shortly after departing the airport. At least two U.S. citizens were shot and killed in such incidents. Haitian authorities have limited capacity to deter or investigate such violent acts or prosecute perpetrators.”