U.S. issues spring break travel warning for Mexico after kidnappings, violent crimes
SACRAMENTO — The U.S. State Department is sending out a Spring Break travel alert for Mexico following a string of kidnappings and violent crimes.
Not everyone is heeding the warnings.
Sahaja Lego is planning a tour in Colima. That's one of six Mexico states the U.S. government has on a "do not travel" advisory over concerns of crime and kidnapping.
"I'm taking a tour to Colima, which is where the volcano is," Lego said.
Lego, from Sacramento, recently moved to Mexico where she says friends are often expressing concern for her safety.
"And I tell them it's perfectly fine here," Lego said.
There have been a series of high-profile violent crimes recently. In Cancun, four bodies were found at a resort Monday. Authorities say the victims were Mexican citizens.
That follows the kidnapping of four Americans in the border city of Matamoros. Two were killed.
And in February, the unsolved disappearance of Markleeville man Dean Trivett—friends fear he was kidnapped.
Robin Little is a Sacramento-based travel agent who says, in the past month, 70 percent of his clients booked trips to Mexico.
"You have to go with your gut feeling, whatever makes the clients feel good," Little said.
Only a few have expressed safety concerns.
"There were a dozen people that were ready to go to Mexico and instead changed their plans, and now we have them booked for next month in Maui," Little said.
The state department says if you are going to Mexico, they have a smart traveler enrollment program to receive up-to-date info on safety concerns.