US suspends government operations in Mexicali over security threat, issues new advisory

The US Department of State has issued a new security advisory for American citizens after halting all the government operations in Mexicali.

Besides suspending the operations, the authorities also restricted all official travel to the capital of Baja California.

Mexicali is the capital city of the Mexican state of Baja California, located in the northwestern part of the country right on the US–Mexico border.

The statement of suspension was issued on the official websites of US embassies and Consulates in Mexico. The announcement was made in response to the security threat alert. However, the nature of the threat is unspecified yet.

“Due to threat information, U.S. government activities in, and travel to, Mexicali have been suspended on August 25. We are alerting U.S. citizens of this potential threat,” the statement reads.

In the wake of the advisory, the authorities also released a series of safety recommendations for US nationals in the area.

• Avoid government buildings in Mexicali
• Seek shelter in the event of an incident
• Notify friends and family of your safety in the event of an incident
• Follow instructions from Mexican law enforcement
• Monitor local media for updates 
• Be aware of your surroundings 

Contact numbers and enrollment in the Smart Traveler Program are available for assistance on the website, as Mexican officials had not commented publicly by early Tuesday.