Mexico to Host 13 World Cup Matches; US Embassy Urges Travelers to Check Advisories

(Central News Agency, Mexico City, 10th Combined Foreign Reports) The U.S. Embassy in Mexico stated that due to the 'vastly different' security risks across Mexico, the U.S. Department of State has issued independent travel advisories for each state, recommending that all travelers attending the World Cup matches consult these advisories and take appropriate precautions.

The World Cup will be held from June 11 to July 19 in the United States, Mexico, and Canada. According to FIFA, Mexico will host 13 matches.

Four matches will be held at Estadio Monterrey in Monterrey, Nuevo Leon. Another four matches will be held at Estadio Guadalajara in Guadalajara, Jalisco. The remaining five matches will be held at Mexico City Stadium. Mexico City is a federal district and does not belong to any state, but the U.S. Department of State has still assigned it a rating.

According to CBS News, the Mexican government previously announced it would deploy nearly 100,000 soldiers to ensure security in the three host cities.

Mexico City and Nuevo Leon are considered areas where travelers should 'exercise increased caution.' The U.S. State Department stated that in Mexico City, travelers should be alert to terrorism and crime. Terrorist groups, drug cartels, gangs, and criminal organizations may pose a threat, and travelers could become targets of crime. Visitors should stay in popular tourist areas and be especially cautious, particularly when going out at night.

In Nuevo Leon, travelers should again be mindful of the risks of terrorism, crime, and kidnapping. The U.S. State Department noted that armed robberies and carjackings have occurred on Highways 85/85D, 54, and 40/40D, and travelers should not use these routes after dark. Travelers driving from the U.S. border to Monterrey should also be very careful when passing through the neighboring states of Coahuila or Tamaulipas. Tamaulipas is listed by the State Department as a 'Do Not Travel' area, the highest level of travel advisory.

The U.S. State Department said U.S. citizens should 'reconsider travel' to Jalisco. Terrorism, crime, and kidnapping pose threats in this southern state. In the past, conflicts between terrorist organizations, drug cartels, and other criminal groups have occurred in tourist areas, endangering and even taking lives.

In February of this year, an operation to arrest drug cartel boss Nemesio Oseguera, alias 'El Mencho,' in Jalisco resulted in over 70 deaths, including 25 members of the Mexican National Guard. Jalisco is also the state with the most severe missing persons crisis in Mexico. (Editor: Zhang Xiaowen) 1150611