Deadly medical tourism in Mexico 

Americans often travel to Mexico for low-cost medical services.

But bargain hunting in health care can be risky.

Over the weekend, according to relatives, four Americans were kidnapped in Matamoros, Tamaulipas, after traveling by car to the Mexican border city to undergo cosmetic surgery (tummy tucks).

Two of them were killed, while two survived the ordeal.

Border towns like Matamoros are among the most dangerous in Mexico.

Drug cartels control large parts of Tamaulipas state and often have more power than local law enforcement.

But these cities are among the top medical tourism destinations for tens of thousands of Americans, some of whom cannot afford medical care in the United States.

The so-called medical shoppers, especially those familiar with the region, have learned to take precautions, such as registering their vehicle in Mexico, which allows them to change the license plate to a Mexican one after entering the country by car, to avoid being targeted and to avoid roaming these cities on foot.

The price and proximity make Mexico one of Americans’ most popular destinations for medical tourism.

“There are economic reasons for that,” says Néstor Rodriguez, an expert in immigration studies and professor of sociology at the University of Texas at Austin.

“Medicines and services are cheaper in Mexico, especially dental care. You can get your teeth cleaned or an implant for a fraction of what it costs in the US.”

The quality of care is generally on par with what a patient can find in the US, he added, although the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has warned of infections during surgical procedures in Mexico.

According to the Mexican Medical Tourism Council, nearly one million Americans travel yearly to Mexico for medical procedures.

For many border cities, this is one of the fastest-growing industries.

In Nuevo Laredo, Tamaulipas, a few hours northwest of Matamoros, two main corridors running south from the region’s main international border crossing are lined with dozens of dental offices and hotels for travelers seeking medical care.

In Tijuana, Baja California, just a three-minute drive south of the San Diego border, a 33-story medical facility opened in November 2022.

Billed as “the best medical tourism facility in the world,” NewCity Medical Plaza will offer treatments in more than 30 medical specialties, including cosmetic surgery, as well as a hotel and shopping center.

The most recent US State Department advisory warns against travel to Tamaulipas because of crime and kidnapping, noting that passenger buses and private vehicles can be frequent targets of attacks.

Travel warnings are also in place for other Mexican border states.

Although some border towns have become particularly hostile to immigrants and asylum seekers attempting to enter the United States, violence against Americans in these regions is still rare.

The kidnapping of the four Americans and subsequent murder of two of them was “outside the norm,” Rodriguez said.