Spring Break
Universities advise students against visiting Mexico for spring break
Increasing drug-related crime has made tourists haphazard victims of gang violence
Rebecca Johnson
Issue date: 3/5/09 Section: News
Every year 100,000 students from across America head to Mexico for spring break celebrations. This year, due to a steady increase in drug related violence, the U.S. State Department has issued a travel advisory for tourists headed south of the border.
This has given reason for several universities to advise students to spend their vacations elsewhere this year. Most of those universities are ones close to the Mexican border, such as the University of Arizona and the University of Texas-El Paso, but some as far as the northeast have felt a need to make students aware of the situation.
While most of the violence has been centered in and around border towns, violence has been popping up in areas across Mexico.
Mexican police and military are having a tough time staying on top of an enemy that is often better armed and contains higher numbers. Recently, Mexico deployed more troops to the border to try and suppress some of the violence.
President Felipe Calderon told the Associated Press in an interview that the toll of drug related deaths for Mexico in 2008 was over 6,000. Those numbers have already reached over 1,000 since the beginning of 2009.
Most of the violence has not been targeted towards tourists, but many bystanders have been known to be hurt or killed simply for being in the wrong place at the wrong time.
OSU has not declared any official warnings, but agrees students should exercise caution to stay safe during their travels.
"The Office of the Dean of Student Life encourages all OSU students who plan on traveling during spring break, whether nationally or internationally, to take necessary precautions in order to remain safe and healthy," said Tracy Bentley-Townlin, associate dean for the office of the dean of student life.
For all those who do decide to make the trip, the state department has offered some advice on keeping safe.
The state department has said the best thing a person can do is always be aware of their surroundings. This includes only visiting legitimate businesses and tourist areas and avoiding areas boasting prostitution and drug dealings.
This has given reason for several universities to advise students to spend their vacations elsewhere this year. Most of those universities are ones close to the Mexican border, such as the University of Arizona and the University of Texas-El Paso, but some as far as the northeast have felt a need to make students aware of the situation.
While most of the violence has been centered in and around border towns, violence has been popping up in areas across Mexico.
Mexican police and military are having a tough time staying on top of an enemy that is often better armed and contains higher numbers. Recently, Mexico deployed more troops to the border to try and suppress some of the violence.
President Felipe Calderon told the Associated Press in an interview that the toll of drug related deaths for Mexico in 2008 was over 6,000. Those numbers have already reached over 1,000 since the beginning of 2009.
Most of the violence has not been targeted towards tourists, but many bystanders have been known to be hurt or killed simply for being in the wrong place at the wrong time.
OSU has not declared any official warnings, but agrees students should exercise caution to stay safe during their travels.
"The Office of the Dean of Student Life encourages all OSU students who plan on traveling during spring break, whether nationally or internationally, to take necessary precautions in order to remain safe and healthy," said Tracy Bentley-Townlin, associate dean for the office of the dean of student life.
For all those who do decide to make the trip, the state department has offered some advice on keeping safe.
The state department has said the best thing a person can do is always be aware of their surroundings. This includes only visiting legitimate businesses and tourist areas and avoiding areas boasting prostitution and drug dealings.
Note: writers will not reply to comments.
Viewing Comments 1 - 2 of 2
Stuart
posted 3/06/09 @ 4:36 PM PST
Saying dont visit all of Mexico for spring break because of violence in border towns is like saying dont visit Manhattan because theres alot of drug viloence in Compton. (Continued…)
narcononarrowhead
Narconon Arrowhead
posted 3/12/09 @ 1:09 PM PST
Not visiting Mexico because of violence is another strike against our nation by drug dealers. Their trade is already destroying lives here in the United States and now they are forcing us to restrict our movement and our basic right to travel. (Continued…)
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