KGUN 9 On Your Side, Tucson News, Weather & SportsViolence in Mexico deters tourists from shopping

Violence in Mexico deters tourists from shopping

Reporter: Sergio Avila

Web producer: Danya Kline

TUCSON (KGUN9-TV) - After a weekend of deadly violence, the state department is ramping up its warning on travel to Mexico. KGUN9 On Your Side went to Nogales to find out, are you safe?

The violence isn't just in the border communities, but also in popular places where spring breakers and tourists go, like Acapulco, where more than a dozen people were killed over the weekend. four of them were decapitated. The state department has authorized consulate employees in a number of cities, including Nogales, to evacuate their families. Even before this happened, the decision was made to warn Americans to avoid unnecessary travel to six Mexican cities on the border, again including Nogales.

KGUN9 crossed the border to see what's happening there.

While the streets of Nogales may seem calm, shop owners told us customers they used to have just don't cross anymore.

"nope, not anymore, there's nothing," said Victor Aguirre. Aguirre says that people have stopped coming and there's no business.

The deaths of three Americans with ties to the U.S. Consulate in Juarez could make things worse. U.S. representative Ann Kirkpatrick released a statement about the violence, which stated "this tragic incident is just the latest sign that the drug war in Mexico threatens American lives on both sides of the border. the federal government must maintain its resolve to do all that is necessary to crack down on the cartels, ensure the security of our citizens and prevent the spread of this violence."

In response, the State Department authorized the relocation of employee's families working in border areas like Nogales. The Consulate's office in Nogales was closed in

observance of a Mexican holiday but it's very well protected. Barriers line the street and because of what happened in Juarez, the flag is at half staff.

One deputy consulate who didn't want to go on camera told KGUN9 that no one in this office has moved back to the United States.

At around 5pm, KGUN9 headed back to the border, and Ana Maria Duene said that this is when the streets start getting lonely.

She told KGUN9's Sergio Avila that at "around this time the people gather their things and they don't come out."

She also said that American tourists she's seen sometimes seem too relaxed about what's happening here.

"Us as Mexicans know what to look for and how to protect ourselves but the Americans, they don't," said Duene.

The travel warning by the state department highlights Nogales as one city that has experienced a huge increase in crime, and it goes on to say Nogales is one of a handful of cities that has seen public shootouts in broad daylight.