I just heard a short blurb on the news about Mexico borders not being safe because of a string of gang related murders in the past 2 months. We were planning to go to Juarez while in New Mexico. Does anyone know any more info about this story? I am thinking about not crossing the border now. I am not sure which border areas this has been happening in, the report was not specific.
thanks

Here's a link to the State Department's warning about border violence in Mexico:
http://travel.state.gov/travel/cis_p...a/pa_2100.html

Nuevo Laredo is experiencing serious gang related problems right now. It was reported in the San Antonio Express News yesterday that the two main drug gangs are fighting for control of the city.

There have been horrible murders of women in Juarez for a number of years and here's a link to information about that:

http://comm-org.utoledo.edu/pipermai...er/003041.html

I think if your purpose is to go to Juarez to shop, as you said in previous posts, and not to buy drugs, then as long as you stay in the shopping areas you will be fine. I've traveled on occasion into Mexico, especiallly Juarez, but also the Chihuahua to Los Fuentes area for the Copper Canyon train trip, and into Mexico City, Pueblo, and Oaxaca as well, and I've not had any problems. But you will have to make this decision for yourself and do what you think is best for your own safety. In Juarez, you will not be the only tourist shopping, there are many many people in the markets. The area in the few blocks just at the border is a bit gritty but venturing further will reward you with an encounter with a more metropolitan and genuine cross-section of Mexico-America than the drug-laden one that makes the news.

And why the alarmist attitude, with multiple threads on the same issue?

Sorry but I don't understand the interest in border towns of Mexico. To say you've been there? I've been to Nuevo Laredo as a child I wouldn't go there as an adult. There are so many wonderful places in Mexico, I don't think it is worth your time to go to the border.

Maxwell Smart - You must not have noticed that jet519's posts were made 1 minute apart. That is not alarmist, but most likely means one of the following:

* A computer glitch made it look like the first post didn't show up, so s/he re-typed and re-posted.

* The poster realized they forgot to include a search topic when posting the first time and re-posted.

* The poster didn't realize they could include two different search topics when they posted, so posted twice to include it in two different categories.

* The poster realized that the subject line in the first post wasn't specific enough and re-posted with more details.

All common newbie (and maybe not-so-newbie) mistakes, and none worthy of snide remarks.

I wouldnt waste my time going there--its dirty and mostly junk for sale...

Yes, I get quite clearly now what type of poster you are, Maxwell. And I'm a woman.

I don't scare easily, but even I have some concerns about the safety of border towns. But that is my secondary reason for recommending you should not go. The primary reason is that most border towns are nasty and not very interesting.

Thank you very much for the opinions. I have not been that set on going there anyway, but my husband thought I would enjoy the shopping. Our main objective is going to Las Cruces and this would be a side trip. But I figure by the time we drive the extra 45-60 min., park and walk across or take the trolley, deal with customs I assume one way or both ways?, and then actually spend a couple of hours if we are going to all of the other trouble, it is probably not worth the effort for what we are going to see. If the shopping is a lot of silver jewelry, leather goods, and the usual items typical of that culture, then I don't know that I would even end up seeing anything I really wanted.
Maybe the prices are better, but many times I don't end up seeing something I can't live without. Plus we can only carry so much and have to consider watching out for our possessions.
BTW, Jlm_mi, I did goof on my post for one or more of the reasons you stated for the record. Sorry about that Fodorites!

I love travel to Mexico, but the border towns do not do the country justice. I would skip a shopping day trip, not because of gang violence (which I do not believe involved tourists-did it?), but because I don't have an interest in the border towns. Hardly shows of the best of Mexico.

I cannot imagine why anyone would visit the border towns except to cross into the country and drive south. I last crossed at Nuevo Laredo on 22 Apr and there was no southbound traffic and no problems with customs, gangs nor anything else.
M

It should be obvious that the State Dept. alert is designed to pressure the Mexican government to get much more serious about crime control, drug wars, etc. And if it helps save US travelers dumb enough to go through those border towns, good too.

jet519, I agree with everyone who says it's not a good idea. You said something about shopping and items that would be "typical of that culture". the thing about border towns is that they are not typical of Mexican culture and the items for sale there are pretty much anything they think Americans will buy.

Another opinion from someone who lives close enough to esily make a daytrip to the border - forget it. Border towns are in no way representative of the many good things Mexico has to offer. They are, in general, tacky, dirty, inconvenient to get around and offer very little in the way of shopping other than a lot of trinkets (some of which are not even authentic). Add in the recent increase in drug gang-related crime and it's a solid recommendation to avoid. Sorry to bear such sad news, but it's how things are. If you happen to be in San Antonio, you can find pretty much all the same trinkets in a much more pleasant environment at Market Square / El Mercado.

According to CNN/Travel 30 US citizens have been kidnapped in Nuevo Laredo since last August. I sure have not read anything about any of these kindnappings, has anyone else?

We decided to skip Juarez after reading all of the answers to my post. We will just enjoy a much more relaxed pace in Las Cruces for a couple of days. Thank you. This forum is always so helpful!