The U.S. Government resumed the activities of its officials in the state of Michoacán, in southwestern Mexico, this Thursday, but warned that it continues to maintain the highest travel advisory level for its citizens due to violence generated by criminal groups operating in the state.
The resumption of activities was announced in an Embassy notice, after operations had been suspended the previous week due to what the diplomatic mission described as a “threat against U.S. interests,” without providing further details.
The suspension occurred on August 5 and affected inspections carried out by personnel from the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) on avocados exported from Michoacán to the United States.
The following day, Mexico’s National Defense Secretariat (Sedena) reported that it had deployed 1,557 soldiers in Michoacán to “reinforce security” throughout the state, address “avocado-producing areas, packing facilities, transportation routes, escort and surveillance of inspection points,” and combat extortion targeting producers.
The United States responded positively to the deployment. On August 7, the Embassy published another notice recognizing “the cooperation and assistance of the Government of Mexico” and announced the partial resumption of activities by its officials in the avocado-producing municipalities of Tancítaro, Tacámbaro, and Uruapan, as well as in the area between Pátzcuaro and Morelia, the capital of Michoacán.
Now, nearly a week after that announcement, the Embassy said this Thursday that the activities of U.S. personnel would resume throughout the entire state, although it reminded citizens that the Level 4 travel advisory remains in effect.
This is the highest level among the travel advisories issued by the U.S. Department of State and means that Americans are advised to avoid traveling to certain locations. In the case of Michoacán, the U.S. Government warns that “there is a risk of violence in the state from terrorist groups, cartels, gangs, and criminal organizations.”
“Crime and violence are widespread in Michoacán,” the advisory states, adding that officials should take measures such as traveling only by air or on federal highways and avoiding certain areas.
Other Mexican states for which the United States maintains a Level 4 travel advisory, mainly due to violence and criminal group activity, are Colima, Guerrero, Sinaloa, Tamaulipas, and Zacatecas.
Source: cnnespanol
