DRUG WAR, VIOLENCE LEAD TO MEXICO TRAVEL ALERT

An escalating drug war and a sharp increase in "brutal violence" in
Mexico have prompted the United States government to issue a travel
alert to Americans, particularly those going to Nuevo Laredo.

The government identified Nuevo Laredo, across the Rio Grande from
Laredo in South Texas, as one of the most dangerous spots for
American travelers.

"U.S. citizens residing and traveling in Mexico should exercise
extreme caution when in unfamiliar areas and be aware of their
surroundings at all times," said the warning, issued by the U.S.
Department of State. "Public sources suggest that narcotics-related
violence has claimed 1,500 lives in Mexico this year."

The warning says that in recent months there have been
"execution-style murders of Mexican and U.S. citizens" throughout the
country, particularly in Nuevo Laredo.

The increased violence in Nuevo Laredo and elsewhere has been fueled
by a turf war between two rival drug cartels, the Gulf and the
Sinaloa, a federal official said.

Asked how much the mayhem in Nuevo Laredo is affecting the U.S. side
of the border, Xochitl Mora, a spokeswoman for the city of Laredo,
said, "None."

But Elias Bazan, an agent in Laredo with the U.S. Bureau of Alcohol,
Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, said the drug-war crimes in Mexico
are "definitely" spilling over into Texas.

Unrest in Mexico, most visibly in Mexico City, has also been fueled
by the contested victory of presidential candidate Felipe Calderon
over leftist Manuel Lopez Obrador.

Gary Wallace, a logistics manager for Galderma Laboratories, a
dermatology company in Fort Worth, recently returned from a three-day
business trip to Mexico City and described it as a "very sheltered or
protected" stay.

"I was advised not to go to certain locations, and I was also advised
to know who my driver was," Wallace said.

Local travel agents are paying attention to the developments in Mexico.

Raney Naughton, a corporate travel agent with Wyndham Jade Travel in
Fort Worth, said she is telling clients to be extremely watchful of
their surroundings. And Shannon Chandarlis, a travel agent with
Vacation Connection in North Richland Hills, said she routinely tells
customers to stay away from Mexican border towns.

In its alert, issued late last week, the State Department said that
dozens of U.S. citizens have been kidnapped in Nuevo Laredo, and that
more than two dozen cases were still "unresolved."

"U.S. citizens have also been victims of random shootings on major
highways outside Mexico City, Nuevo Laredo, Tijuana and other areas
throughout Mexico," the warning said.

IN THE KNOW

Travel Tips

Travelers to Mexico are being warned to take precautions because of a
sharp rise in violence. The U.S. government recommends that Americans:

Travel only during the day.

Stay on main roads, especially the toll -- or cuota -- roads.

Stay in well-known tourist destinations or in cities known for "more
adequate security."

Provide an itinerary to a friend or family member who is not along
for the trip.

For the latest security information, go to the State Department's
travel Web site at travel.state.gov.

Up-to-date information on security can also be obtained by calling
toll free 888-407-4747 in the United States, or, for callers in
Mexico, a regular toll line at 001-202-501-4444.