US issues travel alert for spring break in Mexico

The State Department and the Texas Department of Public Safety have each warned Americans to skip spring break vacations in Mexico, noting that ongoing violence poses a significant safety threat.

The warning comes in the wake of the kidnapping of four Americans in Mexico earlier this month. There's a "Level 4: Do Not Travel" advisory for Tamaulipas, the Mexican state the Americans were in when they were kidnapped. 

The State Department issued its travel alert for this year's spring break on Monday. The advisory notes spring breakers who do visit Mexico should be wary of crime in the downtown areas of Cancun, Playa Del Carmen and Tulum, especially after dark.