Nogales, Mexico Zones that Are Off-limits to U.S. Government Employees – August 2018
U.S. Government Employees Given 10 p.m. Curfew in Nogales, Mexico
The U.S. State Department updated its travel advisory for Sonora, Mexico in August 2018. The update includes the prohibition of travel for U.S. government employees that includes all of Sonora south of Hermosillo, and it adds specific information for their travel to the border and other parts of Sonora. Read more about the Sonora, Mexico travel advisory.
Instead of directly recommending or advising against travel for U.S. tourists, the State Department uses federal employees as a proxy for travel warnings. Rather than telling tourists not to visit a certain area, the travel advisories tell government employees whether they can visit that area, and when (such as during daylight hours).
The August 2018 update to the State Department Sonora travel advisory includes a paragraph with guidance to federal employees who want to visit Nogales, with the advice presented for tourists as well.
Overview of the August 2018 State Department Tourist Advisory for Nogales
Zones to Avoid
The State Department identified two specific zones in Nogales, Mexico which are off-limits to U.S. government employees. Both zones are in residential areas that have no tourism value, but both adjoin areas that are in tourism and commercial zones.
The first is the area north of Avenida Instituto Tecnologico, east of the Corredor Fiscal (the toll road that starts south of the Mariposa Port of Entry) and west of the Periferico, the four-lane street that connects traffic from the Mariposa Port of Entry to commercial districts and Avenida Obregon.
That zone was most likely identified because it was the location of a rolling gun battle between local police and a caravan of pickup trucks that resulted in two deaths in late February of this year.
The second zone is the notoriously dangerous Buenos Aires neighborhood, located to the east of the Nogales border tourism zone.
Transportation in Nogales
In a rather confusing combination of mandates, the State Department allows government employees to travel by bus in Nogales (most likely meaning the commercial bus lines located about three miles south of the border), but it does not allow them to travel in taxis to get to the bus station.
After dark, government employees can only travel in a vehicle, but not a taxi.
As a side note, I have taken many taxis in decades of traveling in Nogales, Mexico, and have always found them to be professional and safe. If you need to get to a doctor appointment or the bus station, or perhaps a beauty appointment in the Kennedy or El Greco district, taxis are still the most safe and reliable form of transportation in Nogales.
Border Area and Nightclubs at Night
The Nogales tourist advisory recommends that government employees avoid “El Centro” and nightclubs after 10:00 p.m.
We are confident that they are not referring to the town in California, but rather to the downtown Nogales area that includes the Nogales border tourism district and is sometimes referred to by locals as el centro, or downtown.
This is good advice, but it should perhaps also mention avoiding bars and cantinas, which can get dicey after 10:00 p.m.
State Department Nogales Travel Advisory – August 2018:
The district within Nogales that lies to the north of Ayenida (sic) Instituto Tecnologico and between Periferico and Corredor Fiscal, and the residential areas to the east of Plutarco Elias Calles. U.S. government employees are not permitted to use taxi services in Nogales, but bus travel is permitted. Movement around the city after dark is by vehicle only. U.S. government employees should avoid El Centro and all night clubs after 10:00 p.m.
Summary
It is a positive that the State Department is taking a closer look at Nogales with respect to government employees and tourism. Although the advisory prohibits travel to zones where people would not go anyway, it is at least a first step in providing safety and security information for visitors to Nogales.
We disagree with their prohibition of Nogales taxis and are hopeful they will provide clarification on the topic in a future update, as with common-sense updates regarding their requirement for vehicular travel to and from nightclubs that are within walking distance of the border.
And as always, we believe that the Nogales border tourism district is a safe place to visit, enjoy local cuisine and art, shop for unique Mexican goods or visit a Nogales dental or medical professional. We recommend that you take I-19 directly to a border parking lot (located near the Nogales duty-free stores) and walk across the border to the tourism district. And have a great time in Nogales Mexico!
