US Embassy Bans Employees from Playa del Carmen

Update: March 9, 2018 at 9:40 a.m. ET

After the United States Embassy in Mexico issued a new security alert Thursday banning government employees from visiting Playa del Carmen until further notice, several Mexican organizations have released statements regarding the safety of the region.

The Secretariat of Tourism of the State of Quintana Roo spoke about the investigation into a ferry explosion from February and the subsequent discovery of what is believed to be undetonated explosives attached to another ship in the region:

The investigation into what occurred is developing quickly and the state and federal attorney’s offices are involved as is the collaboration of international agencies including the FBI, in order to provide greater certainty to the international public. We are still awaiting results from the experts and with the most recent findings certain investigations are being reinforced, among them the fact these incidents have been exclusively related to internal situations inherent to the affected cruise line, which is no longer offering commercial service.

In following with the permanent commitment this Secretariat and the Government of the State of Quintana Roo maintain to make our visitors’ stay here as pleasant and safe as possible, security measures are increased and updated regularly for our visitors and the citizens of our State. Because of this, users of the maritime terminals and surroundings will find the highest standards of security and the application of international protocols within.

The Mexico Tourism Board also released a statement on the security alert issued by the U.S. government:

To provide further evidence of Playa del Carmen’s safety, the latest U.S. State Department travel advisory for Mexico did not call attention to any reason to cancel travel plans to Playa del Carmen and in fact listed the entire state of Quintana Roo, which includes Cancun, Riviera Maya, Playa del Carmen and more without travel restrictions.

This new security message, which includes a notice about the temporary closure of a U.S. Consulate office in Playa del Carmen and prohibits government employee travel, provides no facts or explanation to justify this position. Messages like this, which imply safety issues without any basis in fact, are counterproductive to the goal of informing and educating travelers to Mexico and we strongly disagree with both this approach and the contents of this security message.

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Original Text

The United States Embassy in Mexico announced a new security alert for the popular tourist destination of Playa del Carmen.

According to the U.S. Embassy’s official website, officials in Mexico City received information about possible security threats in the Quintana Roo resort city. As a result, U.S. government employees are no longer permitted to visit Playa del Carmen until further notice.

In addition, the U.S. Consular Agency in Playa del Carmen is closed until further notice.

While government officials did not reveal the origin of the threat, the city was the site of an explosion last month on a ferry which takes tourists between Playa del Carmen and Cozumel.

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“We’re unsure of the reasons why the Government of the United States decided to publish this communique. We are ready and willing to work with them in order to safeguard their citizens during their stay,” a Quintana Roo government spokesperson said in a statement. “We maintain relationship of respect, care and protection towards our visitors and offer them safety and attention on a permanent basis (or, we always offer safety and attention). Visitors from the United States are welcome in Quintana Roo and in Mexico.”

The February 21 explosion left 26 people with mostly minor injuries, including five Americans.

During the investigation of the ferry explosion, Mexican authorities announced last week they discovered what is believed to be undetonated explosives attached to another vessel on the same route.

As a result of the discovery, cruise companies like Carnival Cruise Line, Princess Cruises and Royal Caribbean announced the cancellation of shore excursions involving the impacted ferries connecting the resort destinations.

The Canadian government issued a travel warning of its own, advising tourists to avoid ferries in the Riviera Maya region. The news comes as the popular spring break destinations in the Caribbean gear up for a busy season.