US Consulate in Nuevo Laredo will restart its services after violent events

After the closure of the United States Consulate in Nuevo Laredo, Tamaulipas, following violent events in the municipality in mid-March, it was reported that starting their consular services will resume on 19 April.

The reopening will be after the celebration of April 14 and 15 (considered holidays for Holy Week), while on Monday, April 18, routine services will take place.

It was also reported that this Wednesday, April 13, the State Department authorized the return of the staff of the US Consulate General in Nuevo Laredo, as well as family members and members of the US government.

It should be noted that after the arrest of Juan Gerardo Treviño, “El Huevo” (alleged leader of the Northeast Cartel), on Monday, March 14, multiple violent events were reported in Nuevo Laredo. Users on social networks commented that several shootings were recorded in the municipality that lasted between 3 and 4 hours.

State sources reported that during Sunday night and early Monday, March 14, 30 clashes were recorded between alleged hit men of the armed wing of the Northeast Cartel and the Mexican Army. International Bridges I and II were even blocked with transport units set on fire for a couple of hours.

Among the colonies that witnessed the most intense attacks, according to local media, were Buenavista, Nueva Era, Zona Centro, Las Torres and Second Peripheral Ring. As a result, some schools in the region had to suspend classes due to violence and insecurity in the area.

The attacks reached the vicinity of the US Consulate, declaring an emergency situation and asking US citizens to avoid the area or seek safe haven, they said on their social networks.

Similarly, they reported that services at their facilities would be suspended until further notice and the scheduled appointments for March 14 would be scheduled. However, it was not until this Wednesday, March 13, that they confirmed the reopening of the Consulate.

On the other hand, the US Embassy in Mexico issued an alert to its citizens and recommended not to travel to Tamaulipas due to high crime and kidnapping rates. And they recalled that travel by U.S. government employees is limited in many areas of Mexico.

Among the restrictions are that they cannot travel between cities after dark, not take taxis on the street or avenue and not travel alone in remote areas, because according to the US embassy, “violent crimes such as homicide, kidnappings, carjackings and robberies are very common in Mexico,” they warned.

Therefore, they recommended reconsidering traveling to Mexican territory. Among the states that are classified as unsafe and that the US Embassy does not recommend traveling due to levels of kidnapping are: Colima, Guerrero, Michoacán, Sinaloa and Tamaulipas. Only in two states of the Republic is it recommended to take the minimum necessary precautions: Campeche and Yucatan.

As for Tamaulipas, they indicated that organized crime activities, such as murders, kidnapping, enforced disappearances and extortion, “are common along the northern border and Ciudad Victoria.”

Finally, they acknowledged that there is greater law enforcement capacity in Tampico, Ciudad Madero and Altamira, resulting in a lower rate of criminal activity compared to other areas of the state.

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