US issues security alert in Mexican border city and suspends consular activities

The U.S. government has issued a travel alert for Americans traveling to Mexicali, a city in northern Mexico, due to a potential threat in the region. Additionally, consular activities in Mexicali have been temporarily suspended. The alert was released on Monday night without providing specific details about the threat or the target audience. The U.S. has advised its citizens to avoid government buildings, seek shelter if an incident occurs, and stay vigilant about their surroundings.

Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum stated that the alert was based on information from U.S. agencies regarding a potential threat from a criminal group. She emphasized that there is no further information about the nature of the alert and urged citizens to remain alert and maintain surveillance in Mexicali.

Despite the alert, Mexicali remained peaceful on Tuesday. Later that day, Sheinbaum's security cabinet announced that authorities had not identified any elements confirming an imminent risk to the population. However, authorities increased surveillance and patrols in the city as a precautionary measure.

Subsequently, Mexican and U.S. authorities reported that Mexican security forces, in collaboration with information provided by the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), conducted an operation against a criminal group known as "Los Rusos." They seized drugs and arms from the group. Northern Command of the U.S. military reported that Mexican authorities were working to identify, disrupt, and dismantle cartel operations that pose a threat to the United States along the U.S.-Mexico border.

Governor Marina del Pilar Ávila of Baja California, the state where Mexicali is located, confirmed that authorities were active and that security operations would be reinforced in the state capital.