Statement from the Latin American Studies Center
Dear SDSU Community (San Diego State University),
In response to the U.S. State Department's Travel Alert for Mexico, various University offices have recently
expressed concern about members of the University community traveling to Mexico, particularly the border
region. As the Director and Associate Director of the Center for Latin American Studies, a campus unit with
actual expertise on Mexico and several different courses and programs in the region, we would like to
comment on the situation.
First, the drug wars in Tijuana, Baja California, and Mexico, are real.
They have claimed a significant number of lives and the country's institutions are under great pressure to respond. We feel that it is important that students and other campus community members are aware of the
situation and we welcome the attention of SDSU authorities. However, the current violence has been going on
for several years, as reflected in the fact that the State Department Travel Alert which was recently sent around campus is a re-issuance of an Alert that has been in place for some years. State Department Travel Alerts expire, and the current alert was issued in order to keep the previous one active.
Second, members of the campus community should exercise the same caution when traveling in Tijuana that they exercise when in any major city.
Tijuana has approximately 1.5 million residents, and like all big cities, there are situations that should be avoided. That said, if you are new to travel in Tijuana or the border region, you should take extra precautions that go along with being in a new area and a foreign country. We can help you here, please feel free to contact us.
Third, the murder rate in Tijuana is less than 40 per 100,000, which puts it between Oakland, CA and St. Louis, MO.
That is high, but less than Baltimore and Detroit (mid-40s) and well below New Orleans (65 to 95, depending on who you talk to). New Orleans is a great place to visit, and we have yet to meet anyone who
decided not to go due to its murder rate.
Fourth, the overwhelming majority of murders are perpetrated against those involved in the drug trade
(including corrupt police officers) and those who are actively fighting the drug trade (again including police
officers).
Finally, life continues in Tijuana.
Kids go to school, families visit grandma, parents shop for groceries, and students go to museums and concerts. We do not want to minimize the reality of the drug wars, but we also want to point out that, as with our war on terror, paranoia grows in proportion to one's lack of familiarity and understanding. We thus caution against allowing fear to manifest in perceived narratives of racism or morality as has occurred far too often in interactions between the United States and Mexico. In addition to crossing the border fairly frequently, we have talked at length to our colleagues at various institutions throughout the border region, all of whom assure us that although crime has increased, our students, colleagues, and the average US citizen are not targets any more than are average Mexican citizens and they look forward to our continued
interactions with them.
We urge you to continue your normal routines in Tijuana and throughout Mexico,
following the same cautions you would use in any region that is undergoing an increased crime wave. If you have any questions, concerns, or would like to discuss the situation further please do not hesitate to contact us. As they say in Mexico, Estamos aqui para servirles.
Jim Gerber, Director, Center for Latin American Studies
Ramona Perez, Associate Director, Center for Latin American Studies