US Issues Security Alert in Mexican Border City and Suspends Consular Activities

The United States has issued a travel alert for Americans visiting Mexicali, a city in northern Mexico, and temporarily suspended consular activities due to a potential threat in the area. The notice, released on Monday night, did not provide specific details about the threat or its target, but advised citizens to avoid government buildings, seek shelter if an incident occurs, and remain vigilant about their surroundings.

President Claudia Sheinbaum stated that the alert was based on information from US agencies about a "potential threat" involving a criminal group. Sheinbaum emphasized the need for citizens to remain alert and maintain surveillance in Mexicali. Her security cabinet later confirmed that authorities had not identified any specific or imminent risks to the population, but had increased surveillance and patrols in the city as a precautionary measure.

Mexican authorities, collaborating with information provided by the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), conducted an operation to seize drugs and weapons from a criminal group called "Los Rusos." The U.S. Northern Command reported that Mexican forces were working to identify, disrupt, and dismantle cartel operations that pose a threat to the United States along the U.S.-Mexico border.

Baja California Governor Marina del Pilar Ávila announced that Mexican authorities were actively carrying out security operations and that they would be reinforced in the state capital. Mexicali, with a population of over 1 million, is a significant city along the Mexican border due to its close commercial and social ties with the U.S. city of Calexico.