Mexico kidnapping: Why a million Americans a year risk Mexico medical tourism

Americans often question to Mexico for low-cost aesculapian services. But bargain buying for healthcare tin beryllium risky. 

Over the weekend, four Americans were kidnapped successful Matamoros, Tamaulipas, aft travelling by car to the Mexican borderline municipality for cosmetic surgery, according to relatives. Two person been confirmed dead, and 2 survived the ordeal. 

Border towns similar Matamoros are among the astir unsafe successful Mexico. Drug cartels power ample regions of the authorities of Tamaulipas, and often clasp much powerfulness than section instrumentality enforcement.    

But these towns are immoderate of the apical aesculapian tourism destinations for tens of thousands of Americans, immoderate who can't spend wellness attraction successful the US. 

Medical shoppers, particularly those acquainted with the region, person learned to instrumentality precautions, similar changing a vehicle's licence sheet to a Mexican 1 aft entering the state by car truthful they volition beryllium little of a target, and avoiding wandering astir these towns connected foot.

Price and proximity marque Mexico a apical aesculapian tourism destination for Americans. 

"It's economics," said Néstor Rodriguez, an migration studies adept and prof of sociology astatine the University of Texas astatine Austin. "Medicines and services are cheaper successful Mexico, particularly dental procedures. You tin get your teeth cleaned oregon an implant for a fraction of the outgo of what you get successful the US." 

The prime of attraction usually matches what a diligent tin find successful the US, helium added, though the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention person warned astir infections from surgical procedures successful Mexico. 

According to the Mexican Council for the Medical Tourism Industry, astir 1 cardinal Americans question to Mexico for aesculapian attraction each year.

Mexican-born US national Taide Ramirez, 58, has been crossing the borderline for much than a decennary to get cheaper attraction for her hypothyroidism, a two-and-half hr thrust from her location successful San Antonio to the Eagle Pass/Piedras Negras borderline crossing.

While she does person employer-sponsored wellness insurance, she says her co-pays are much costly than what she is charged successful Mexico.

She told the BBC she usually dedicates an full time to the travel and has ne'er encountered a occupation connected her way south.

Still, information is apical of mind. She doesn't transverse astatine nighttime and she heads consecutive to her appointments earlier promptly returning to the US.

"I ne'er spell alone. I ever instrumentality my sister with maine oregon my son," she added.

Others registry their vehicles successful Mexico successful bid to get Mexican licence plates they tin america to upon crossing, helping to debar unwanted attention.

For galore borderline cities, it's among the fastest-growing industries. 

In Nuevo Laredo, Tamaulipas, a fewer hours northwest of Matamoros, 2 main corridors moving southbound from the region's main planetary onshore crossing are lined with dozens of dentistry offices and hotels for travellers seeking aesculapian care. 

In Tijuana, Baja California, conscionable a three-minute thrust southbound of the borderline from San Diego, a 33-storey aesculapian installation opened successful November 2022. 

Launched arsenic "the champion aesculapian tourism installation successful the world," the NewCity Medical Plaza offers attraction successful much than 30 aesculapian specialties, including cosmetic surgery, arsenic good arsenic a edifice and buying centre. 

The latest advisory from the US Department of State warns against question to Tamaulipas owed to transgression and kidnapping, citing that rider buses and backstage vehicles tin often beryllium a target. Other Mexico borderline states besides person question warnings. 

While immoderate borderline towns person go particularly hostile for immigrants and asylum seekers trying to participate the US, unit against Americans successful these regions is inactive rare. The kidnapping of the 4 Americans and consequent sidesplitting of 2 is "out of the norm," Mr Rodriguez said. 

But this is simply a reminder that the borderline is not truly safe, Mr Rodriguez said. "I stopped going."