MEXICO CITY — The United States temporarily suspended consular services in the Mexican border city of Mexicali and warned Americans against traveling there after receiving information about a potential security threat.
Mexican authorities responded by increasing surveillance and patrols across the city. Officials said, however, that they had not found evidence of a specific or imminent threat to the public.
The U.S. government did not disclose the nature of the reported threat, identify a potential target or say whether an attack was considered imminent.
The U.S. advisory urged Americans in Mexicali to avoid government buildings, seek shelter if an incident occurred and remain alert.
Mexicali, the capital of Baja California, sits directly across the border from Calexico, California, and has extensive commercial and social connections with the United States.
Mexican Authorities Increase Security Measures
Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum said Tuesday that the U.S. alert involved the possibility of activity by a criminal group and was based on information provided by U.S. agencies.
“There is no further information about what this alert could involve,” Sheinbaum said during her regular morning news conference.
She urged residents to remain attentive to developments as Mexican authorities reviewed the situation.
Mexican security officials later said they had not identified evidence confirming a specific or imminent threat to the population.
Authorities nevertheless increased patrols and surveillance throughout Mexicali as a precaution.
The city remained calm Tuesday despite the heightened security presence.
Operation Targets Criminal Group
Later Tuesday, Mexican and U.S. authorities announced a security operation targeting Los Rusos, a criminal group operating in the region.
Mexican security forces seized drugs and weapons during the operation, according to authorities. The operation used information provided by the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration.
U.S. Northern Command said on X that Mexican forces were working to identify, disrupt and dismantle cartel operations considered a threat to the United States along the border.
The available information does not establish whether the operation was directly connected to the security concern that prompted the temporary suspension of U.S. consular activities.
Baja California Reinforces Security
Baja California Gov. Marina del Pilar Ávila said late Tuesday that security operations would remain active and be reinforced in Mexicali.
The U.S. government has not publicly released additional details about the intelligence behind its warning.
That leaves important questions unresolved, including the nature of the reported threat, its potential target and why U.S. authorities considered the information sufficient to suspend consular services.
Mexicali has more than 1 million residents and is one of the largest cities along the U.S.-Mexico border. Its location opposite Calexico makes the city an important cross-border commercial and transportation hub.
The temporary U.S. consular suspension and Mexico’s subsequent security response demonstrate the level of coordination required when U.S. authorities receive intelligence indicating a potential threat in a major Mexican border city.
For now, however, Mexican authorities say they have not confirmed an imminent danger to the public, while Washington has not disclosed the underlying intelligence.
This report is based on reporting by The Associated Press.
