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The United States government fully resumed its official activities in Michoacan this Thursday after evaluating security conditions and the measures deployed by Mexico, ending the suspension that affected the inspectors responsible for certifying avocado exports.
U.S. Ambassador to Mexico Ron Johnson commended the Mexican government, "particularly its Security Cabinet," for the actions and coordination that made the full resumption possible, according to a statement released this Thursday on his social media.
Johnson noted that Washington will continue to monitor security conditions and will adjust its operations when appropriate, maintaining that the priority will continue "to be the protection of U.S. personnel and the inhabitants of Michoacan."
The diplomat presented the decision as a result of the cooperation promoted by U.S. President Donald Trump and Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum, and stated that the joint work protects the population, food production, supply chains, and legitimate trade between both countries.
The U.S. Embassy in Mexico added in an update to its security alert that, despite the resumption, Michoacan remains classified as Level 4 in the U.S. travel advisory, a category that advises against traveling to the state.
"It is worth remembering that the United States travel advisory classifies Michoacan as a Level 4 zone, where it is recommended not to travel," it reads on its official page, while maintaining preventive recommendations.
The suspension had affected since August 5 the activities of the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) personnel responsible for verifying the facilities authorized to export avocados from Michoacan to the U.S. market.
Sheinbaum explained this week that the United States decided to halt those tasks immediately after receiving security alerts and that, following a bilateral meeting, operations had been restored at at least 45 packing plants in less than 48 hours.
In response, the Mexican government reinforced surveillance in the avocado-producing zone with 46 operation bases: 17 at packing plants in Tingüindín, Tocumbo, and Peribán, and another 29 in the producing communities of Cotija, Tocumbo, Tingüindín, Los Reyes, and Peribán.
The deployment, coordinated from Uruapan, includes about 1,500 additional personnel for the security of avocado production, in addition to National Guard surveillance on highways and accompaniment of Mexican health personnel at inspection posts.
Johnson assured that the resumption sends a message that bilateral cooperation can produce results that strengthen "the security and prosperity" of both countries.
This was the third temporary suspension of U.S. agricultural personnel's activities in Michoacan and follows direct precedents of similar episodes in 2022 and 2024, when threats and attacks against inspectors temporarily paralyzed the certifications necessary to export avocados to the United States.
[Publicidad]