CONFLICT-MEXICO: Chiapas, Resisting Assault and Trust all No Go

By IPS Correspondents Reprint | | Print |

Diego Cevallos

MEXICO CITY, May 4 1998 (IPS) - Don’t visit the southern state of Chiapas, never resist assault and don’t trust anyone, even the police, run recommendations to visitors issued by the United States government and several North American, European and Asian embassies.

Messages like these, aiming to avoid the problems of assault, kidnapping and murder, have been issued in travel agencies, diplomatic offices and via the Internet. They also warn of the possibility of deportation for anyone getting involved in the conflict in Chiapas.

On the crime front, Mexico is today considered one of the most dangerous places of the Americas, along with Brazil, Colombia and Venezuela.

In Chiapas, where the army and the Zapatista rebels maintain a tense truce, the expulsion of foreigners is increasingly frequent.

The US embassy in Mexico confirmed Monday its government would be advising businesspeople and tourists travelling to the country to visit their offices for advice and help.

On the page of instructions produced for travellers, Washington stated crime is on the increase in Mexico, and that “US citizens have been detained in Chiapas and expelled or deported for breaking the rules set on their tourist visas.”

“Tourists must avoid demonstrations and other activities which could be judged to be of a political nature by the Mexican authorities,” continues the State Department document.

Nearly 20 foreigners have been expelled since January by the Ernesto Zedillo government, accused of undue interference in the conflict in Chiapas, where problems are on the increase despite the conciliatory language of the authorities.

The authorities have stated that in the capital alone, around 100 foreigners were assaulted between Januaray and April, 10 of them suffering wounding.

Spokesman for the Mexico City government, Javier Gonzalez, Monday stated that despite these crimes, Mexico City is far safer than several urban centres in the United States.

The Zedillo government, working to counteract the unfavourable information and avoid it affecting tourism, stepped up its positive propaganda campaign abroad stating the crime rates are in fact decreasing and the authorities have the situation in Chiapas under control.

With around 17 million visitors per year, around five percent of all the world’s tourists, Mexico ranks as the eleventh favourite destination, according to the International Tourism Alliance.

“Crime is on the increase in Mexico, armed robbery and kidnappings are becoming more frequent. Particular care must be taken on public transport, in airports and truck parks,” warned a bulletin from Australia’s department of Foreign Affiars and Trade.

This document goes on to warn those travelling to the south of the country, especially to Chiapas, to “restrict their itinerary to the main tourist sites.”

Meanwhile, Canada suggests any citizen aiming to visit Chiapas take “great precautions” and avoid the zone as far as possible.

The Mexican government “vigorously” applies the immigration laws “particularly” for those aiming to visit this state, said Canada’s Foreign Office.

Two Canadian citizens were expelled from Chiapas on April 14, accused of participating in the creation of an independent municipality by indigenous Zapatista sympathisers.

Representatives of the French embassy, a country which sends Mexico some 100,000 visitors each year, said many French companies ban staff posted in Mexico City from visiting Chiapas.

One of these employees told IPS the consulate visits or calls by telephone regularly to remind them that even the police cannot be trusted in Mexico, as the robberies and legal problems are often of their doing.

Spain, Italy and Japan also drew up warnings for those planning to visit Mexico, stating the need to take great care with the police.

The Japanese embassy reported 27 Japanese citizens were assaulted in broad daylight on a bus in Reforma avenue last week, in the main tourist area of the city close to the Attorney General’s office.