Mexico – Pope’s Visit

Pope Francis will participate in public events and meet with political, religious, and community leaders during a Feb. 12-17 visit to Mexico. Security is a concern during the papal visit; federal police plan to deploy 10,000 extra officers to handle crowd control at public gatherings. More than 2.3 million people are expected to converge on Mexico City and Ecatepec. Major transport disruptions can be expected in Mexico City, Ecatepec, Ciudad Juarez, Morelia, Tuxtla Gutierrez, and San Cristobal de las Casas. Street closures and vehicle restrictions are likely around venues hosting papal events. Some restrictions may not be announced in advance for security reasons. Highways and roads leading into Mexico City and Ciudad Juarez will experience heavy traffic flows which could lead to long backups.