The U.S. State Department is again extending its travel warning targeting Mexico.

The original warning was issued in January and renewed again in April; it was set to expire on Friday.

The Associated Press reports:

MEXICO CITY – The U.S. State Department is renewing a travel advisory that warns American citizens of violence in Mexico, especially along the U.S. border, the U.S. ambassador said Tuesday.

In a statement, U.S. Ambassador to Mexico Tony Garza defended the advisory, the third he has requested this year. He said more than 100 violent deaths along the border since June and the killings of 18 Nuevo Laredo policemen convinced him that the warning was still necessary.

"These disturbing reports make clear that Mexico needs to do much more to bring safety and security to our common border," he said.

... The past two advisories have angered Mexico, a country that relies heavily on U.S. tourism and bridles at criticism from its powerful, northern neighbor.

Growing gang violence and a battle between Mexico's two main drug gangs have caused a spike in violence along the border, especially in Nuevo Laredo, across from Laredo, Texas.

So the State Department's narco-hype script continues to be shown on media screens throughout the nation.

To quote movie producer Samuel Goldwyn: "A wide screen just makes a bad film twice as bad."