Washington, D.C. ? Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton will travel to Mexico this month to show support for that country’s crackdown on drug cartels that is blamed for a surge in violence and fears of a large-scale spillover into the United States.

The State Department said Friday that Clinton, on her third trip abroad as the top U.S. diplomat, will visit Mexico City and Monterrey on March 25-26 to underscore the Obama administration’s commitment to helping Mexican authorities deal with the deteriorating situation, which has prompted deep concern in Washington and Southwestern states.