Safety & security in Mexico

Throughout the course of the semester there are opportunities to visit different parts of the country, including the capital, Mexico City (known as “CDMX”), which is one of the largest cities in the world with a population that is estimated at more than 23 million.  It is a diverse city rich with innumerable museums and other cultural attractions. However, as in any large metropolis, there are safety issues both in CDMX and Cuernavaca. Our staff in Mexico lives here and loves it. We welcome you to a wonderful location and want to assure you that we stay informed about health and safety issues.  We take every means possible to ensure your well-being, including providing you with a thorough health and safety orientation upon your arrival to Cuernavaca, as well as the detailed information below.

Registering with the U.S. Embassy

CGEE will register you with the U.S. Embassy prior to departure from the U.S. in case any emergencies occur while you are in Mexico.

In-Country Health/Safety Orientation

Upon arrival in Mexico, all trip participants are given an extensive health and safety orientation by one of CGEE’s staff members.  This orientation covers topics from drinking water, to the insects you might see, how to deal with catcalls on the street, withdrawing money from ATMs and emergency response.  At the end of the orientation, participants are asked to read and sign a “Health and Safety Agreement” form.

Security Concerns in Mexico in Light of Drug-Related Violence  

As you have undoubtedly heard, there are serious security concerns in Mexico, just as there are in the United States and many other countries.  Generally, it is not the whole country that is unsafe but rather specific places and behaviors within a given state in each country. This is true of Mexico as well.

While violent crime has been on the increase in recent years, particularly due to drug cartel-related violence, the homicide rates in Mexico are lower than those in many U.S. cities.

For several years, the U.S. government has been issuing and updating a Travel Advisory for Mexico, along with many other countries.  At the same time, some other countries issue travel advisories about the U.S. What is most important is that the U.S. government does not tell people to avoid the country of Mexico as a whole but rather to “exercise increased caution” while traveling, which is ideal for travel anywhere within the world.  Over 25 million U.S. citizens continue to visit Mexico, and close to 1.5 U.S. citizens live permanently in Mexico. Most foreigners visit here and return home with very positive experiences to share, and the U.S State Department continues to encourage U.S. students to engage in study abroad in Mexico.

Augsburg’s CGEE-Mexico has successfully run programs since 1979 for students and professionals, and has programs scheduled in the same locations throughout the coming year.  As faculty and staff, we will continue to monitor the situation and will not hesitate to cancel or reroute programs, if needed, to secure the safety of students and travel seminar participants.

The decision to continue programming in Cuernavaca, Mexico City, most of the state of Morelos, Mexico City, and other locations has been made with careful consideration of risk.  Although there has been highly publicized, drug-related violence in Cuernavaca, it has not been directed at international students, foreign tourists, or foreign residents of the city. There has been no random drug violence that has placed the general public at risk.  As staff who live here full time, we feel very comfortable inviting others to come join us. We would not do so if it was thought for a moment that we were putting any of you at risk.

The safety and security of students and participants is the highest priority for CGEE, and we do not see any fundamental changes affecting student safety in the city and the areas where program travel takes place.  However, any violence is a cause for concern and, as would be necessary in any large urban area, precautions have been taken to address the safety and security issues. We will provide you with very specific guidelines to follow for your personal responsibility in reducing risks of illness and violence, and you will be immediately notified of any heightened risk to your health, safety and/or security.  

U.S. State Department Advisory

The U.S. State Department posts advisories for countries and states within countries across the globe to inform U.S. citizens about the security situation while traveling. Currently, the travel advisory for the state of Morelos, Mexico is Level 3: Reconsider travel to Morelos due to crime. It is for that reason and many others that we urge you to follow the precautions mentioned in these web pages and during your orientation upon arrival in Mexico. 

The U.S. State Department's Mexico Travel Advisory says "Do Not Travel" to the following 6 states:

• 1. Colima

  2. Guerrero

  3. Michoacan

  4. Sinaloa

  5. Tamaulipas

  6. Zacatecas

In addition, you should not travel to Cancun for safety reasons. We recommend other beaches if you have your heart set on visiting a beach while in Mexico.

For the full U.S. State Department's Mexico Travel Warning, see Mexico Travel Advisory (state.gov) 

Additional Security Measures to Take in Light of Drug-Related Violence

In addition, in light of the recent drug-related violence, we urge you to follow the following risk reduction measures:

• Carry a charged cell phone with airtime on it at all times, so that we can reach you and you can reach us in case of emergency.  You can also use this phone to call radio taxis (see below).  It should be programmed with CGEE staff home numbers, on-call numbers, emergency numbers, radio taxi numbers, and other numbers you may need.  Find these numbers on the contact tab. 

• If you don't already have WhatsApp on your cell phone, please download this free app soon because we will set up a WhatsApp Mexico group in order to communicate easily, particularly while you are traveling. Please send a WhatsApp message to the CGEE-Mexico Site Director (Ann/Ana) at +52 777 215 6296 so that she can begin to create the group. 

Passports

We do NOT recommend carrying passports with you in Mexico, except for the visit to the U.S. Embassy in Mexico City and any long-distance travel you conduct during long weekends. Take a picture of your passport to carry on your phone, but keep your passport itself in a safe place where it won't get lost or stolen. 

• At Casa Augsburg, do not leave the front door open and do not buzz people in or open the front doors without first looking at the security camera monitor to see who is there.

• DO NOT give out your address (or staff addresses & phone numbers) to people you meet. Get their numbers instead if you want to contact them. Please, be extremely responsible in this matter.

• Dating guidelines: If you meet someone with whom you want to connect, plan to meet them at a public place & take an Uber home. That way you help to ensure your own safety and others who live in Casa Augsburg by not giving out the address to people that you do not know extremely well. 

• Do not buy, sell or use illegal drugs or hang out with people who do. Mexico treats marijuana as if it were cocaine, so do not buy or smoke it, even if it is legal in your home state.  If you do so, you not only put yourself and Augsburg University at risk, you will also be sent home from the program. If you get caught, you will face consequences with Mexican authorities.  CGEE cannot bail you out, in case you are arrested. Even when you hear that marijuana is legal in some parts of Mexico, the US Embassy still considers that "Drug possession and use, including medical marijuana, is illegal in Mexico and may result in a lengthy jail sentence."

• Do not associate with anyone you think may be involved in selling, buying, and/or consuming drugs. Do not go to their homes or businesses.  Avoid all contact with them.

• Do not drink to excess.  Excessive drinking puts you at greater risk. While the drinking age in Mexico is 18, IF you drink, be very careful about how much you drink. Recent studies have demonstrated that students abroad tend to drink far more than they do at home. For your own safety, please be the exception to that rule!

• Do not travel to Acapulco or anywhere else in the state of Guerrero, as there are strict travel warnings there.  You should always check the travel list below, as well as the U.S. State Department website before travelling outside of Cuernavaca.  Also email your travel contact information to CGEE staff.

Although in some states in the U.S. it is legal to purchase and use cannabis products, 

Marijuana is still an illegal drug in Mexico and is strictly forbidden.  

Any students who use it or any other illegal drug while in Mexico will be sent home at their own expense, as illegal drug use can jeopardize the university’s legal status in this country and the student’s own safety.

Despite this long list of “DO NOTs,” please know that students, staff and faculty regularly go out to safe places and have a wonderful time! You are not going to be locked into your houses; you just need to be careful about what you do and where you go, so that you can reduce risks as you make friends and explore Mexico.

Precautions to Take in Cuernavaca:

• Ask CGEE-Mexico faculty and staff and other local people about the safety of places you intend to visit.

• Avoid demonstrations and press conferences related to them, as they are hotspots for potential violence due to hostility towards both the press and demonstrators. It is also illegal for foreigners to participate in demonstrations against the Mexican government or any other form of Mexican political activity. 

• Avoid the street “Pasaje Tajonar” in downtown Cuernavaca. It has a market that could be dangerous, as there was a major drug bust by the police there and a shooting. Please do not go there. 

• Avoid the following bars/clubs, which have a reputation for violence and racism. As you hear of other places from people you meet, please tell the staff and other students so that we can add them to this list and all reduce our risks.

• Baby Queen, located on Avenida Plan de Ayala and all other night clubs on Avenida Plan de Ayala

• La Patrona, located in colonial Vista Hermosa

• Republica De Cuernavaca, on Ave Tepanzolco, known for racist practices

DESTINATIONS TO AVOID WHEN PLANNING TRAVEL WITHIN MEXICO:

The U.S. State Department's Mexico Travel Advisory says "Do Not Travel" to the following 6 states:

• 1. Colima

  2. Guerrero 

  3. Michoacan

  4. Sinaloa

  5. Tamaulipas

  6. Zacatecas

In addition, you should not travel to Cancun for safety reasons. We recommend other beaches if you have your heart set on visiting a beach while in Mexico.

For the full U.S. State Department's Mexico Travel Warning, see Mexico Travel Advisory (state.gov) 

• Do NOT flag down taxis on the street because their drivers have not passed a crime screening, and there have been reported problems in Cuernavaca.  Unlike Uber and radio taxis, there is no record of the taxi you got into unless your friends take a picture of the license plate. Uber and radio taxis are safer because the companies have records of each ride. 

• When taking taxis, always use Uber, Didi or call and take radio taxis, as they are much less risky than flagging taxis off the street. That is because Uber/Didi and radio taxis have to conduct criminal background checks on their drivers and also report to base every time they pick up and drop off passengers, whereas there is no control of taxis you flag on the street. (See below for more info on radio taxis.)

• Do not ride motorcycles in Mexico. This includes NOT taking Uber or Didi motorcycle rides (instead of cars). This is due to the general lack of safety regarding motorcycles in Mexico and past accidents involving students. 

• This is also important in Mexico City, where there has been taxi-related crime. Instead, students should take “taxis de sitio” (taxis from a stand at the airport and in bus terminals, etc.) or call radio taxis because the taxi drivers in these services must report every time that they pick up and drop off a passenger, which provides greater security to passengers.

• After dark and before sunlight, do not walk or take buses.  Rather, take an Uber or radio taxi when it is dark out!  After calling the Uber or radio taxi to pick you up, WAIT INSIDE until the vehicle arrives before going out to the street and immediately getting in the taxi. We will reimburse any radio taxi expenses related to the program, while you are obviously responsible for expenses in going out on your own when it's not program-related.

• Safe Taxis. As mentioned above, CGEE has a relationship with one of Cuernavaca ́s authorized taxi companies, Taxi Monarca: 777 321 2808 or 777 321 6155.  Commonly referred to as “radio taxis,” these taxis are sent by a central headquarters to pick up and drop off customers at a fixed price.  They have to report to headquarters when they pick up and drop off passengers, and so that provides more security. Taxi Monarca is familiar with CGEE and the location of our houses, and is a reliable, safe option for getting around the city (particularly after dark). We also recommend Radio Taxi Citlalili: 777 317 3776

• Uber in Mexico.  Uber (and Didi, similar to Uber) is now very common in Cuernavaca and Mexico City.  It is convenient for those with lower levels of Spanish since you do not have to explain where you are going or how to get there.  You just need to type in the address of your destination. You can also charge the ride to a credit or debit card, so you don’t need as much cash.  Uber drivers have passed criminal background checks and have to report when they pick you up and drop you off.  When taking an Uber, we recommend that you take a screenshot of the information you receive with the license plate and name of the driver and immediately send that to a friend in the program. While it is probably unnecessary, it provides you with extra security, and it is something you can do inconspicuously, whereas some students feel uncomfortable taking a picture of the taxi license plate, etc. You can also use the "share this ride" feature.

• You should avoid traveling alone and taking overnight buses when traveling long distances in Mexico, as there have been reported incidents on overnight buses in certain regions of the country.

• It is very important that our staff be able to reach you in case of an emergency. Therefore, BEFORE you conduct any independent overnight travel outside of Cuernavaca, you are required to inform the International Resident Assistant (IRA). Please email or send a WhatsApp to the CGEE staff (vasqued@augsburg.edu and lutterma@augsburg.edu), including your itinerary and addresses you will be staying. You are also required to carry a charged cell phone with airtime on it at all times so that we can reach you if necessary.

Mexico is in a seismically active region, and minor tremors are common, although major quakes are less so. However, we are providing this information in the event a strong tremor or earthquake occurs during the program.

Cell phone and landline communication are the first to be lost.  For this reason, it is important to follow the instructions of the local communities.

Stay calm!!!

• Know how to react. You should review the "Drop/Cover/Hold On" recommendations before embarking for Mexico.

• Follow instructions from local communities. Please follow the instructions of the community, including the instructions from any governmental offices that provide disaster response.  Radios will also give instructions about natural disasters.

• Be in touch. If you are not with your CGEE group, as soon as the communication is reestablished, CGEE will be in touch with you and you should also try to get in touch with CGEE (numbers of program coordinators and on-call staff will be provided on-site).  If it is a very strong earthquake, also try to be in touch with your family. Otherwise, CGEE will also be in communication with them.

• Follow the Signs for Seismic Activity: these will all be found around Casa Augsburg 

Emergency Contact Cards.  You will be given a credit-card sized emergency contact card to carry at all times.  The card includes the phone numbers for lodgings in Mexico, as well as phone numbers for CGEE staff members and emergency numbers (police, hospitals, ambulance, etc).  Additionally, the card has phone numbers for local authorized taxi companies with whom we have a contract, specifically for security purposes. We strongly encourage you to add all of these numbers to your cell phone. These numbers are also available in the contact page of this site.

U.S. Government Assistance (should you lose your passport, for example):

U.S. Embassy Mexico City, Mexico

(01-55) 5080-2000

ACSMexicoCity@state.gov

State Department – Consular Affairs

888-407-4747 or 202-501-4444

On-Call System at Night and on Weekends. Every evening and weekend there is a designated “on call” staff member. This staff member can be reached at any time of the night at their phone number to assist in any urgent situation. Staff phone numbers for the are widely distributed (on the weekly gmail calendar, signs in the house, listed on your schedule and emergency contact cards, taught at orientation).  If for whatever reason the on-call person does not answer, just keep calling until you reach one of us, no matter what the hour if it is a serious emergency.  At night, it is best to call rather than just send a text. You may need to call twice in a row to make sure that you wake someone up if it is late. Between 10:00 pm and 5:00 am, you can also talk with one of the night watchmen who are at the house. Their cell phone number while on duty is +52 777 210 6390.

Night Watchmen. There is a night watchman on duty every night of the week between 10:00 pm and 5:00 am. The night watchman does rounds of our facilities and sits outside to monitor the neighborhood activity.  Again, the cell phone that they carry while on duty is +52 777 210 6390. The two watchmen, who alternate nights, are Diego and Mario.

Security Cameras. The CGEE house has security cameras in order to tape any activity in front of our houses and to see who is at the door before opening them. These cameras add to our security and help reduce the risks of crime.

Recently, there has been an increase in fraud at ATMs, involving stealing card information and giving fake bills. Please see the finance page for more details.