Ecuador Joins Peru, Colombia, Mexico, and Guatemala in Issuing New Travel Advisories where Terror, Explosions, and Deadly Gangs Threaten Tourists as Reports Unveil: What You Need to Know

Published on November 7, 2025

In 2024–2025, Latin American cities saw travel advisories issued due to heightened public security threats. In Guayaquil, Ecuador, the U.S. Embassy warned of vehicle-borne improvised explosive devices (VBIEDs) used by criminal groups, leading to heightened security concerns. Lima and Callao, Peru, declared states of emergency due to violent crime, with military and police restricting movement. Medellín, Colombia, faced a surge in murders linked to dating-app robberies, while a curfew for minors was enforced. Mexico City experienced protests and shootings in Polanco, and Taxco, Guerrero reported violence. Mexico’s Baja California and Guatemala City also faced gang violence, with specific zones marked as high-risk. Travelers were advised to exercise caution, avoid certain areas, and enroll in the Smart Traveler Enrollment Program (STEP). The report underscores the growing influence of terrorism, organized crime, and political unrest in these warnings.

Summary of trends

• Increasing gang and cartel violence – Travel advisories in Ecuador, Mexico, Colombia and Haiti highlight a surge in violence linked to criminal organisations. Guayaquil’s alert warns of criminal gangs using VBIEDs[1]. Mexico’s alerts for Taxco and Polanco, and Colombia’s dating‑app murders in Medellín, underscore the threat from organised crime[14][13].
• Terrorism and explosives – Ecuador’s October 2025 travel advisory added a terrorism indicator after VBIED attacks in Guayaquil[1], and the U.S. broadened Mexico’s country‑wide advisory in August 2025 to include possible terrorist violence (as reported by news outlets; see Al Jazeera article not cited here).
• Government‑declared states of emergency – Peru twice declared 30‑day states of emergency in Lima and Callao in 2025 due to rising insecurity, allowing police and military to restrict movement and request identification[4][5]. Haiti’s government remains unable to control Port‑au‑Prince, leading to the suspension of commercial flights and a Level‑4 advisory[15].
• Protests disrupting travel – Demonstration alerts in Mexico City and Machu Picchu warn that protests can turn violent or disrupt transport[12][6].
• Targeted alerts for specific districts – Several alerts are city‑specific, such as the Polanco district of Mexico City (shooting), Zone 16 in Guatemala City (gang violence), and Parque Lleras in Medellín (curfew), highlighting that security conditions can vary widely within a country[13][10].

These alerts show that travellers in 2024 and 2025 faced heightened threats from criminal violence, terrorism, and political unrest in several Latin‑American cities. Travellers should monitor official embassy advisories, avoid high‑risk areas, and register with programs like STEP to receive real‑time security updates.