State Department warns travelers of Uber, taxi conflicts in popular Mexican travel hotspot

The U.S. Department of State on Tuesday issued a travel warning to Americans visiting Quintana Roo in Mexico, a popular destination for American tourists.

"In the wake of recent incidents involving taxi and Uber drivers in Quintana Roo, U.S. citizens are reminded of guidance provided on Travel.State.gov, specifically about the use of application-based transportation services in Mexico, which states: Application-based car services such as Uber and Cabify are available in many Mexican cities, and generally offer another safe alternative to taxis," read a security alert from the agency.

"Official complaints against Uber and other drivers do occur, however, and past disputes between these services and local taxi unions have occasionally turned violent, resulting in injuries to U.S. citizens in some instances," it continued.

Situated on the Yucatán Peninsula, the province of Quintana Roo includes both Cancún and Cozumel, both of which stand among Mexico's most popular vacation hotspots.

Ride-sharing app Uber obtained a court injunction permitting its operation in Cancún in January, according to the Epoch Times. The ruling triggered outrage from a union of local taxi drivers that subsequently organized protests.