The U.S. Embassy has released a statement strongly advising citizens to stay away from Acapulco due to the increasing number of violent cases in Mexico, according to the Associated Press.
The agency cited the protests regarding the disappearance of more than 40 students as the primary reason regarding the travel advisory.
According to the statement released by the U.S. Embassy, travel arrangements to Acapulco have been suspended by staff members of the agency.
“This message is to inform U.S. citizens that protests and violent incidents continue in Guerrero state in response to the disappearance of 43 students there,” the agency announced.
“Embassy personnel have been instructed to defer non-essential travel to Acapulco, by air or land, to include federal toll road (“cuota”) 95D to/from Mexico City and Acapulco,” it added.
The embassy mentioned that those who are already in the area should avoid participating in demonstrations and certain public gatherings.
“Travelers should avoid political demonstrations and other activities that might be deemed political by the Mexican authorities,” the agency said. “Even demonstrations intended to be peaceful can turn confrontational and escalate into violence.”
The protests in the area were spurred by the public’s growing frustration with what the people consider as the government’s lack of action regarding the disappearance of the students. Many of them fear that the students were already killed by their abductors.
The students were last seen on Sept. 26 in Iguala, a neighboring city of Acapulco. Since local law enforcers could not find any evidence regarding their condition, prosecutors speculated that the students may have been taken and murdered by members of drug gangs, Sky News reported.
The lack of accurate information regarding the case caused the public to launch protests in an attempt to push the government. Protesters are demanding that those in power should increase their efforts to solve the matter.
Earlier this month, a mob of protesters armed with various weapons including machetes and makeshift bombs swarmed an airport in Acapulco as part of the demonstration. In other parts of the city, protesters block major roads, attacked public buses and burned down a government building.
