Visit of His Holiness Pope Francis
Message to U.S. Citizens Regarding the Visit of His Holiness Pope Francis
The United States Mission to Mexico informs U.S. citizens that His Holiness Pope Francis will visit Mexico from February 12 - 17, 2016. More than 11 million people are expected to travel to the Mexico City metropolitan area for the visit. The Pope is scheduled to visit Mexico City, Ecatepec (State of Mexico), Tuxtla Gutierrez (Chiapas), San Cristobal de las Casas (Chiapas), Morelia (Michoacan), and Ciudad Juarez (Chihuahua). Before and during the Pope’s visit to Mexico, you should expect vehicle and pedestrian traffic to be severely restricted, particularly along motorcade routes and near event venues. Significant traffic congestion is likely. It would be wise to ensure that you have adequate food, water, fuel, and other necessities on hand before the start of the Pope’s visit. The following website details the Pope’s schedule and routes with interactive maps:http://papafranciscoenmexico.org/agenda.
For further information, you can visit the following websites:
· Ecatepec: http://www.ecatepec.gob.mx/boletines/show.php?boletin=2221
· Tuxtla Gutierrez: http://tuxtla.gob.mx/papafranciscoentuxtla/index.php/el-papa-en-tuxtla
· San Cristobal de las Casas: http://elpapaensancristobal.org/#
· Morelia: http://www.morelia.gob.mx/3
· Ciudad Juarez: franciscoenjuarez.mx
Access to papal events will be restricted to ticket holders only. There is no charge for tickets, which will be distributed by the Archdiocese of Mexico and local dioceses. To avoid becoming a victim of ticket scams, do not purchase tickets. The U.S. Embassy is unable to help U.S. citizens acquire tickets.
In the event of an emergency while in Mexico, please call 066 or 068 from any Mexican phone to reach local emergency services.
We strongly recommend that U.S. citizens traveling to or residing in Mexico enroll in the Department of State’s Smart Traveler Enrollment Program (STEP) at travel.state.gov. STEP enrollment gives you the latest security updates, and makes it easier for the U.S. Embassy or nearest U.S. consulate to contact you in an emergency. If you do not have Internet access, enroll directly with the nearest U.S. Embassy or consulate.
Visit the Embassy's website and sign up for updates via Facebook and Twitter. Regularly monitor the State Department's website, where you can find current Travel Warnings, (including the Travel Warning for Mexico), Travel Alerts, and the Worldwide Caution. Read the Country Specific Information and Travel Warning for Mexico, and refer to the“Traveler’s Checklist” on the State Department’s website. Contact the U.S. Embassy or consulate for up-to-date information on travel restrictions. You can also call 1-888-407-4747 toll-free in the United States and Canada or 1-202-501-4444 from other countries. These numbers are available from 8:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m. Eastern Time, Monday throughFriday (except U.S. federal holidays). Follow the State Department on Twitter and Facebook to have travel information at your fingertips.
The Embassy in Mexico City is located at Paseo de la Reforma 305, Col. Cuauhtemoc, C.P. 06500, and may be reached at 5080-2000 (dialing from the United States 011-52-555-080-2000) 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. Visit the Embassy's website for any changes in operating hours during the dates of the Pope’s visit due to traffic conditions. Locations and contact information for the Embassy, Consulates General, and Consular Agencies in Mexico may be found at http://mexico.usembassy.gov/eng/edirectory.html.
