Mexico kidnap: The inside story - BBC News Re: Cartels and kidnapping in PV. In addition to the 10 outfits fighting to control drug sales in the plazas or drug marketplaces of Tulum, there are two other gangs in Cancun fighting for dominance of the Riviera Maya, according to Oscar Montes de Oca, the lead prosecutor in the state of Quintana Roo, where Cancun, Puerto Morelos and Tulum are located. He has lived and traveled abroad for more than 55 years. "It's a shame for people to only focus on the aspect of crime and violence that take place.". Dangerous Areas in Cancun. The U.S. State Department issued an updated Travel Advisory Wednesday for U.S. travelers visiting Mexico, including new state-level advice and information on "kidnapping . The embassy notes, that in some cases ransom is paid and the victim freed, in other cases the victim is killed despite a ransom being paid. Answer (1 of 7): The very fact of asking the question shows how totally distorted the world media is regarding Mexico. Protesters join friends and family members of the 43 missing students of Ayotzinapa, Mexico, on the third year of their disappearance during marches held throughout 2017 in Mexico City. The updated Travel Advisory includes new information on the Coahuila, Mexico, Nayarit, and Zacatecas states. The only U.S. cities that rank higher than Merida are Irvine, California, and Amarillo, Texas. This is why it is a haven for expats, early retirees, families with children, expats, digital nomads and travelers alike. The Yucatan peninsula was close to the U.S., which it had tried to join on three separate occasions. ", "Use caution when traveling to Mexico as you would to any other country, but also don't let some of these media headlines of violence and criminality undermine the wonderful things that Mexico has to offer and its rich history," she said. Please consider making a one-time contribution to Vox today. document.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); Thanks for contacting us. The 80s saw Gulf focus on cocaine and marijuana trafficking, followed by fentanyl and other synthetic drugs not to mention racketeering and human trafficking at the border, according to Mexican and US authorities. Its a costly part of the drug trade, financially as well as in lives lost. See all contact information. The government has gotten really serious about cracking down on crime.. We are going to check them. In addition, more than 1 million US citizens call Mexico home, living there as permanent expat residents. Im in trouble, he pleaded, crying over the phone. In recent weeks, many popular destinations for U.S travelers have changed to Level Four: Do Not Travel. Google Pay. Hoy presentamos nuestro informe mensual sobre la incidencia del delito de #Secuestro con corte al mes de agosto pasado. Arrested in an upscale Guadalajara neighborhood on Monday, Gonzalez Valencia is charged with laundering money for the cartel. Mexican cities remain top tourist destinations. 7.8 (1,562) Rate. According to the 2012 estimates, there were 100,000 Mennonites living in Mexico [1] (including 32,167 baptized adult church members), [5] the vast majority of them, or about 90,000 are established in the state of Chihuahua, [2] 6,500 were living in Durango, [3] with the rest living in small colonies in the states of . Surprisingly, the data showed that Veracruz cut homicides by 20 percent a statistic that Garcia praised. American Tourist Reported As Kidnapped Shows Up After Spending The Am I crazy? After my mother died, my cousin took her designer purse, and my aunt took 8 paintings from her home then things really escalated, What's next for bonds in 2023 after the worst year in history. The municipality with the most kidnappings is in Benito Jurez, Quintana Roo, The best jeans in Mexico? The Dry Tortugas National Park located about 70 miles off of Key West, Florida has , A British tourist was gunned down on 02 January at the guest house at which . Source: infobae.com, seguridadjusticiaypaz.org.mx, Spring is coming and with it 17 tourist cruises will arrive, Watch out! Is Merida Mexico safe? the boardwalk will close for triathlon, take your precautions, These are the challenges that Mazatln has in the face with the real estate boom, Despite stalled legalization, Marijuana producers in Sinaloa are still making plans for a legal global market, The most dangerous municipality in Mexico, Murders, kidnappings, and Extortion, American citizen sentenced to 21 years in prison for drug trafficking in North Carolina, Lopez Obrador wants narco-linked witness to testify against Calderon and Fox, The National Civic Front in Mazatln call for a protest against Plan B of the Electoral Reform in Mazatlan, More than 3 tons of garbage removed from the beaches during Carnival, The expansion of Santa Rosa Avenue is coming. Right now you have factions fighting for leadership within the Sinaloa Cartel to control the sale of opioids, and you have the larger cartels all fighting each other, he told The Post. "Violent crimesuch as homicide, kidnapping, carjacking, and robberyis widespread and common in Mexico," warns the State Department. Two weeks later, dozens of tourists were forced to scramble for cover when 15 gang members, their faces hidden by ski masks, went on a daylight shooting rampage on a beach in the village of Puerto Morelos, south of Cancun, killing two suspected traffickers. Aileen Teague, assistant professor at The Bush School of Government & Public Service at Texas A&M University,reminds people that while organized crime does exist in parts of northeastern Mexico, there are also "beautiful places that are dependent on tourism and relatively safe. The risk is higher in some locales than others. According to NGO, Yucatan reports zero kidnappings (many of these crimes are never reported to the police). He covers organized crime, immigration, farm policy, and anything in between. The State Department issued new do not travel advisories for five Mexico states following surges in gang-related violent crime in February and March. Veracruz has been the witness of a bloody rivalry between drug cartels in recent years as well as impunity and government corruption that has led to an explosive cocktail of violence and uncertainty in the state, Al Jazeera reported last year. My sister is always struggling with money and drugs: I own a house with my husband and mother. We accept credit card, Apple Pay, and The kidnappers told the Massabkis to start thinking of people to call in the U.S. for a ransom. In the wake of the shocking Cancun shooting, some Americans may be wondering if it's safe to visit the area. While the states with a record of zero kidnappings were: Baja California, Campeche, Coahuila, Durango, Nayarit, Quertaro, San Luis Potos, and Yucatn, said Miranda de Wallace. Travelers should "exerciseincreased caution when traveling to" Coahuila, Mexico and Nayarit and "not travel to" Zacatecas. But Im not sure, he wrote. The states of Veracruz, Mexico City, Puebla, Morelos, and the State of Mexico had the highest incidence of kidnapping crime. Furthermore, if possible travel in at least groups of 2 or more and when using the ATM one individual acts as a buffer/distance mechanism for any who may be attempting to observe or approach. But now that many of those criminal organizations have begun to splinter, there are more groups vying for a piece of the drug trade, which means that they have more costs to meet. Similarly, it was announced that in February the number of detainees for this crime increased, with 120 people, while in January there were 35 alleged perpetrators of kidnapping. And they tell us lies. Each of these cases may have involved more than one victim, so the total number of homicides is likely to be higher. Travel safety tips:17 CIA tips on how to think like a spy and stay safe while on vacation, Not everyone wants to come to the US:Gun violence, safety concerns are keeping travelers away. Inside the bloody, brutal cartel wars taking over Mexico's tourist haven Kidnapping in Mexico: What's the Real Risk to Travelers? - World Nomads Kidnappings reached their highest levels ever in Mexico last year, with 1,698 kidnappings in 2013, according to the Mexican government. The state ofBaja California cannot clean its face from the violence that thedrug traffickingleft. This is the real story of "Maria" and her husband "Jose". Meanwhile, a nonprofit organization revealed Tuesday that there have been 69 reported kidnapping cases over the same period. People keep asking me if Tulum is safe. While five Mexican states including Michoacan and Sinaloa are listed as places not recommended for travel, the advisory for Veracruz has no restrictions. So among stories of drug cartels, kidnappings, and more, it might get you wonderingis Merida, Mexico safe? According to local news reports, a note was left with the body saying she was killed because her husband 'didn't want to pay' the ransom. They were robbed of everything including his American passport. 2023 USA TODAY, a division of Gannett Satellite Information Network, LLC. The 63-year-old entrepreneur, who did not want to be identified by name, said he has been vacationing in Tulum for more than 10 years, and bought his first condo in the seaside resort town overlooking the azure waters of the Caribbean Sea two and a half years ago. This Dream Vacation Hotspot Is Spiraling Into a Deadly Cartel Battlefield Cartel violence, by gangs including the Jalisco New Generation Cartel (top right), has taken over tourist hotspots from Cancun to Tulum, Mexico, leaving foreign vacationers like Jennifer Henzold . Or Evansville, Indiana. This is a kidnapping.. Mexico had an estimated 30,000 homicides in 2017, according to a study published by the Justice in Mexico Project at the University of San Diego. 8 bodies found in Cancun, Mexico, prompting travel warning - USA TODAY Basically, if you know how to run a drug smuggling operation, you know and own 90 percent of what you need to be a secuestrador [kidnapper], he told me. I moved around by bus, alone, and felt extremely safe. Mexico danger map updated as US warns of 'widespread - The Sun We earn $400,000 and spend beyond our means. Quotes displayed in real-time or delayed by at least 15 minutes. Yucatan kidnapping and killing of businessman. The Yucatan Times' content is protected by intellectual property rights, its re-publication, distribution, or retransmission is prohibited without the company's prior authorization. Is Merida Safe for Foreign Travelers and Expats? Finally, someone picked up. Kidnapping has been a problem in Mexico for decades, but its gotten much, much worse in recent years. Mexico is experiencing a combination of conditions that collectively degrade the security environment in certain areas, the report said. We've received your submission. The report presented on Monday warned thatSalamanca and Tecomncomplete the list of the top five violent cities. Crime in Merida. Safety in Merida - Numbeo The formerly bustling tourist town faces a marked wave of drug-related violence and human trafficking. Cartel members last year tried to assassinate Omar Garcia Harfuch, Mexico Citys chief of police, in an attack that wounded him and left three people dead, including two of his bodyguards. As a result of this capture, information was obtained from more Russian people involved not only in drug trafficking but also in human trafficking. Last week, the State Department issued an alert to U.S. citizens when reports of "multiple vehicle fires, roadblocks, and heavy police activity" surfaced in Tijuana and the surrounding area. A spokesperson for the State Department told USA TODAY in an email thatthe agency regularly reviews all Travel Advisories to ensure U.S. citizens have the most relevant and timely information to make the most informed decisions regarding their safety and security when traveling overseas. There are no tourist kidnappings in Puerto Vallarta that I'm aware of. Its the highest across Mexico with the State of Mexico (Edomex) and Mexico City reporting 63 and 32 kidnappings respectively. The number of victims of kidnapping in Mexico decreased by 10.5% per month in February, when 110 cases were registered compared to 123 in January 2021, the NGO Alto al Secuestro reported on Monday. Its a trend that experts refer to as the democratization of kidnapping. Authorities believe drug cartels are choosing express kidnappings as a way to get high volume . State governor Carlos Joaquin called the recent beach commando raid a serious blow to the development and security of the state putting the state at grave risk. With turf wars increasing among rival cartels, homicides in the state rose from 145 in 2015 to 628 in 2020 a 333 percent increase in a place where 75 percent of the local economy is based on tourism, according to Mexican statistics. Isabel Miranda de Wallace, president of the Alto al Secuestro organization, reported that only 82 criminal events were recorded during the month of August. Later, the victim said that a kidnapper told the group that he had raped the wives of other victims he had previously kidnapped as a form of payment, according to court records. In two articles for Medium, the photographer relates how on Jan. 8, while staying with a friend in Cordoba, 16 men armed with military-grade weapons walked into the apartment, beat him up and dragged him away. Mexico is not doing anything to fix the problem, Almonte told The Post. A report by Mexican news outlet La Reforma, from earlier this year, indicated that at least five cartels are now operating in the Riviera Maya and reports of violent crime in Tulum alone had gone . While the majority of Cancun is pretty safe, it's still not the safest place to stay in Mexico. That said, the risk of kidnapping, especially for the foreign business person or tourist who is perceived to be wealthy exists. The 2019 study details that the bloody incidents have created a negative image of the tourist gem, which has a . Save. Things have become so dangerous that on Wednesday, Mexicos President Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador announced the creation of a tourist battalion 1,500 National Guard soldiers wielding automatic weapons to keep visitors safe. Only "1 percent of all kidnappers are captured and carried to justice," said Torres Landa, the Mexico United Against Organized Crime consultant. Crespo and Valdez [] Before 2020, more than eight million Americans visited Mexico each year, and a 2019 census reported that 1.2 million American and Canadian expats call Mexico home.. Expats are mostly drawn to the beach areas for the amazing weather, crystal-clear Pacific Ocean or Caribbean Sea, the lower cost of living, and the . Im 66, we have more than $2 million, I just want to golf can I retire? Copyright 2023 MarketWatch, Inc. All rights reserved. So the odds of an individual U.S. citizen being kidnapped are quite low, but they are not zero. Reynaldo Marquez Crespo, 41, and Jancer Sergio Ramos Valdes, 33, both Cuban, face 35 years in prison on charges of alien smuggling and kidnapping. Market data provided by Factset. The states Americans have been strictly told to avoid are Colima, Guerrero, Michoacn, Sinaloa, and Tamaulipas. The city was . | (clockwise from top right) Miguel Tovar; Yuri Cortez; Manuel Velasquez/Getty Images. Two of the . The men got out of their truck to beat them, breaking away their mirror, then they got into their vehicles and followed my neighbors to their house threatening them, she wrote. 2023 FOX News Network, LLC. You can also contribute via. A large part of this can be attributed to the aggressive security policies of former Mexican President Felipe Caldern, whose Kingpin Strategy which aimed to arrest various cartel leaders disrupted what was once a relatively peaceful balance of power between the larger cartels. Cecilia A. narrated that she was walking on the aforementioned avenue whensuddenly two subjects aboard a red Jeep approached. As one who has visited numerous times and lived there for a few years, I find Mexico, its people, and culture inviting, interesting and a joy to be around. The U.S. State Department recently updated Mexico's travel warning for U.S. The Mexican government has failed to combat kidnapping, and police are sometimes involved in the abductions. The three Santa Barbara cenotes are in the pueblo (small town) of Homun, where you'll find many of the best cenotes near Merida. Thats the way they think.. Kidnappings, murders on the rise in Mexican state where woman was They had to find other sources of income, which gave the hitmen in these groups carte blanche to participate in activities like kidnapping and extortion, he said. July 4, 1956, WestburyWhen Mrs. Weinberger checks on her sleeping 1-month-old son, Peter, all she finds is an empty carriage and a ransom note, promising the baby will be returned "safe and sound" once the $2,000 demand is met.