US Warns Americans to Reconsider Travel Jamaica Amid Spate of Murders

FILE PHOTO: A view of Cuban and U.S. flags beside the U.S. Embassy in Havana, Cuba, December 15, 2020. REUTERS/Alexandre Meneghini

The U.S. Department of State issued a travel advisory for Jamaica amid a recent increase in murders in the Caribbean island nation.

The agency placed Jamaica on its Level 3 travel advisory because “violent crimes, such as home invasions, armed robberies, sexual assaults, and homicides, are common.” It added that “sexual assaults occur frequently, including at all-inclusive resorts.”

“Local police often do not respond effectively to serious criminal incidents,” the Department of State added in a bulletin on Jan. 29. “ When arrests are made, cases are infrequently prosecuted to a conclusive sentence. Families of U.S. citizens killed in accidents or homicides frequently wait a year or more for final death certificates to be issued by Jamaican authorities.”

It also noted that the murder rate reported by the government has been “among the highest in the Western Hemisphere” for several years now. “Violence and shootings occur regularly in many neighborhoods, communities, and parishes in Jamaica,” the agency said.

Data published by the Jamaica Constabulary Force shows that the country, with a population of about 2.8 million, recorded 65 homicides between Jan. 1 and Jan. 27 in 2024.

As for U.S. government personnel, they are prohibited from traveling to certain areas in the country, and they cannot use public buses or drive outside of prescribed areas in the capital city, Kingston, according to the bulletin.

Aside from crime, it warned: “Emergency services and hospital care vary throughout the island, and response times and quality of care may vary from U.S. standards” and that “hospitals are under-resourced and cannot always provide high level or specialized care.”

“Private hospitals require payment up front before admitting patients and may not have the ability to provide specialized care. Ambulance services are not always readily available, especially in rural areas, and are not always staffed by trained personnel,” said the bulletin.

For people who decide to travel to Jamaica, they are advised not to walk or drive at night, avoid buses, avoid secluded areas or situations, not to physically resist a robbery attempt, and to be aware of their surroundings. The agency also warned Americans not to bring firearms or ammunition to the country due to “severe” penalties, including “lengthy prison sentences.”

Other Alerts

Aside from Jamaica, the U.S. State Department also recently advised Americans against traveling to the Bahamas, noting there have been 18 murders in the capital city, Nassau, in 2024 alone.

In the Bahamas, homicides have occurred “at all hours, including in broad daylight on the streets,” according to the bulletin, citing gang violence for the spike in murders so far this year.

The agency advised American citizens to avoid travel to the eastern parts of New Province Island, where Nassau is located, including using caution when walking or driving at night, keeping a low profile, and being aware of the surroundings. American citizens should also not “physically resist any robbery attempt,” the advisory said.

Last week, the U.S. State Department placed the Bahamas on a Level 2 alert, warning people to use “increased caution.” That bulletin said that danger persists in both tourist and non-tourist areas, adding that tourists should not answer their door at a local hotel or residence “unless you know who it is.”

Meanwhile, the U.S. Embassy last year warned Americans to leave Haiti as soon as possible due to a spiraling security situation in which armed gangs have taken over swathes of the country. Weeks before that, the embassy closed due to “rapid gunfire” that erupted near the building, located in Port-au-Prince.

Approximately 20 countries currently have a Level 4, or “do not travel,” advisory as of this week. They include Russia, Afghanistan, Iran, Somalia, Gaza, Iraq, Lebanon, North Korea, parts of Mexico, Ukraine, and more.

Several months ago, the State Department issued a “worldwide caution” advisory after the Israel-Gaza conflict erupted “due to increased tensions in various locations around the world, the potential for terrorist attacks, [and] demonstrations or violent actions against U.S. citizens and interests.”