Homicides shot up 16 percent during the first half of this year as drug traffickers and gangs battle for dominance. U.S. State Department Updates Level 3 Travel Advisory For Mexico In Monterrey Mexico a gemologist was kidnapped in 2014 while on a fishing trip. And if there are innocent bystanders, too bad. | (clockwise from top right) Miguel Tovar; Yuri Cortez; Manuel Velasquez/Getty Images. Christopher Burgess is a writer, speaker and commentator on global security issues. The gang has been a longtime enforcer of the Gulf Cartel, whose battle against their archrivals the ferocious Jalisco New Generation Cartel and Sinaloa Cartel has recently resulted in shocking gangland-style violence along the Riviera Maya, a sun-drenched stretch of beaches on the Yucatan Peninsula that is Mexicos biggest tourist hub. Find out what states in Mexico have the worst kidnapping problem Two human rights organizations, the Association . They say, We havent been able to investigate because we havent had an internet connection in seven months. 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 . Crespo and Valdez [] The U.S. government has limited ability to provide . How Safe Is Cancun for Travel? - Travel Safe - Abroad [1/8] Migrants who recently crossed the border and were caught walk back to Mexico after being dropped off by border patrol agents in Laredo, Texas, U.S. June 15, 2022.Picture taken June 15, 2022 . We were held in a house that was practically a torture chamber., He added: I have met a lot of cartel people with my work I havent met anyone as particularly cruel as these men. Powered and implemented by FactSet Digital Solutions. He added that because of how kidnappers conducted themselves, he assumes they were police officers. Other advice includes using ATMs which are well lit, or inside banks, to reduce the likelihood of being interrupted or suprised. Is Merida, Mexico Safe? A Female Perspective - A Piece of Travel Two men promised to smuggle at least three Cuban migrants into the United States, but instead locked them in a Merida house and tortured them, Florida prosecutors say. The US Embassy reports that within the consular district served by the consulate within the Embassy (the US has ten consular districts in Mexico) there were 771 kidnappings reported by the Mexico government. Viewpoints on Women in the Revolution - Library of Congress . Was it to arrange a kidnapping or a timeshare sales pitch, well never know, nor did we wish to find out. The stark Alea lacta Est. The Yucatan Times' content is protected by intellectual property rights, its re-publication, distribution, or retransmission is prohibited without the company's prior authorization. "It's a shame for people to only focus on the aspect of crime and violence that take place.". In addition, for years it has been suspected that in Playas de Rosarito, a group ofRussian criminals could be behind a series of crimes in the entity. Its slogan is: Were all going to behave. (AP), Lopez Obrador has launched a campaign aimed at persuading people to not break the law. Hearing this, my wife and I exited the cab at the next stop light. No. 0:00. In 2017 the FBI investigated 116 kidnappings in Mexico. You dont see the violence until you are in the middle of it, Sevigny said. Although violent crime is rare (but not impossible), petty crime is common. Is it safe for Americans to vacation to Cancun? - New York Post Well, were still doing business in real estate, said Rottloff. 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. Desperate to get their sons back, the Ramirez and Rivera families made a payment to the kidnappers. Reynaldo Marquez Crespo, 41, and Jancer Sergio Ramos Valdes, 33, both Cuban, face 35 years in prison on charges of alien smuggling and kidnapping. 1:53. 2023 FOX News Network, LLC. @WallaceIsabel @Jaime_BonillaV @FGEBC @elvigia pic.twitter.com/QRhaovPKb7. This is a kidnapping.. Crime in Merida. Safety in Merida - Numbeo Thu 19 Jun 2003 21.26 EDT. Flix offers opium dealer Guerra a partnership deal. This is the reason why Mazatln stopped being the Capital of Sinaloa, Rescuing tradition! Kidnappings for ransom accounted for 81 of the investigations, 10 cases had no ransom demands, and 25 cases were virtual kidnappings. Heat stroke, dehydration and gastroenteritis, better. Is Merida Safe for Foreign Travelers and Expats? 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. On Monday in a press briefing,Department spokesperson Ned Price said there were no reports to share on U.S. citizens being injured or killed in the incident. While the majority of Cancun is pretty safe, it's still not the safest place to stay in Mexico. Yet drug-related violence and widespread media coverage of Mexico's insecurity have severely impacted its tourism industry. Government of Mazatln analyzes promoting the game of Ulama in the city, Puerto Peasco Rocky Point delivers hot meal to the neediest families, Despite Mazatlan Mayor allowing restaurants to open state health official overrule him, They arrest a Russian couple and a Sinaloan with half a million dollars, Denuncia Paisano, the app to report corruption and extortions of travelers in Mexico by authorities, In the middle of Mazatlan Motorcycle Week, a Tijuana biker is shot to death. Si quieres verlo a detalle, entra en el siguiente link: https://t.co/RmB00H0C2F pic.twitter.com/gZ1Zngbesq, NATIONAL REPORT FOR 2018 TO 2021 CLICK HERE, NATIONAL COMPARATIVE REPORT 2020 TO 2021 CLICK HERE, STATE REPORT MAP 2018 AGOSTO 2021 CLICK HERE, Click to share on Twitter (Opens in new window), Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window), Click to share on LinkedIn (Opens in new window), Click to share on Reddit (Opens in new window), Click to share on Tumblr (Opens in new window), Click to share on Pinterest (Opens in new window), Click to share on Pocket (Opens in new window), Click to share on Telegram (Opens in new window), Click to share on WhatsApp (Opens in new window), Click to share on Skype (Opens in new window), Find out what states in Mexico have the worst kidnapping problem, Tlaxcala festivity mocks European colonizers, USD-Mexico Peso Exchange rate today March 1st, 2023. Below these regions are Zihuatanejo, Ciudad Jurez, Celaya, Acmbaro, Uruapan, Solidaridad, Centro (Villahermosa), Valle de Santiago, Silao, Tecate, Salvatierra, Irapuato, Zamora. Getty Images. The Civil Association Stop Kidnapping announced that the number of victims by kidnapping in Mexico increased 29.5 percent, compared to the month of December, registering 114 victims.. Sometimes kidnappers hold their captives longer in order to demand more money from the victim's relatives or associates. Five years after the disappearance of Ramirez and Rivera, the investigation into their kidnapping has gone nowhere. I heard the kidnappers talking about working with local authorities about kidnapping people.. When Jennifer and Frank Massabki traveled to Mexico in May 2017, they had recently gotten engaged and were looking for potential locations to host their wedding later that year. Copyright 2023 MarketWatch, Inc. All rights reserved. I will be back to Latin America. Thats the way they think.. As I mentioned above, Yucatan is one of the safest places . Sevigny, who has been back in the United States for more than a month, said he is continuing to recover from the physical and mental injuries he suffered throughout those harrowing 36 hours. The updated Travel Advisory includes new information on the Coahuila, Mexico, Nayarit, and Zacatecas states. CANCN Quintana Roo (Times Media Mexico) - The Attorney General of Quintana Roo, scar Montes de Oca Rosales, said the search of a nightclub in the hotel . If you do decide to go to Mexico, here are some tips for staying as safe as possible. Market data provided by Factset. Kidnappings in Mexico - Securely Travel The city was . Travelers should "exerciseincreased caution when traveling to" Coahuila, Mexico and Nayarit and "not travel to" Zacatecas. Earlier this year, Americans were warned to "avoid travel to Mexico" after recent security incidents in tourist destinations like Cancun and Playa Del Carmen. When Frank got out to talk to the driver, two men with weapons descended upon them and took them hostage in their car, according to a police report filed with Mexico City officials. But . TheU.S. State Department issued an updated Travel AdvisoryWednesday for U.S. travelers visiting Mexico, including new state-level adviceandinformation on "kidnapping risk.". Tourists traveling to Mexico due to crime in several Mexican states popular with American tourists. In our piece, How to manager you Mexico vacation and not get shot I tell the story of a taxi ride in Puerto Vallarta where the driver of the cab makes a call to an unidentified individual and speaks of how the cab with the older white haired male and redheaded female will arrive in about 20 mins. While its unclear whether the high-profile arrest will lead to the Jalisco Cartels retreat, the rival Gulf Cartel also faces challenges with the recent death of their leader, Ariel (El Tigre) Trevino Pena, who was killed by the Mexican army in a shootout in Matamoros in October. Violence is on the rise in Mexicos central and southern states, a 2018 report from the OSAC found. Please consider making a one-time contribution to Vox today. By choosing I Accept, you consent to our use of cookies and other tracking technologies. Mexican criminal organizations require extensive personnel and vast caches of assault rifles and other weapons 70 percent of which come from the US to defend their plazas (strategic points along the drug supply chain) from other gangs and from the Mexican police and military. Along Mexico's Riviera Maya, Tourists, Drugs and Violence Scores are obtained through a methodology that includes crimes such as homicide, kidnapping, willful injury, and extortion. Jose was taken by kidnappers in central Mexico over a year ago. 2023 NYP Holdings, Inc. All Rights Reserved. She called back for hours, receiving no response. Yucatan kidnapping and killing of businessman. Country officers are available to speak with you Monday - Friday, 8:00 a.m. - 5:00 p.m. For assistance with an abduction in progress or any emergency situation that occurs after normal business hours, on weekends, or federal holidays, please call toll free at 1-888-407-4747. Miracle friends today and thanks to these 2 people who helped me I can tell it,I am very afraid of going outon the street again.. Five years later, the young men are still missing. Each of these cases may have involved more than one victim, so the total number of homicides is likely to be higher. Its slogan is: Were all going to behave., MEXICAN BUSINESSWOMAN DECAPITATED AFTER FAMILY WOULDNT PAY RANSOM, REPORTS SAY. 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 . He covers organized crime, immigration, farm policy, and anything in between. Kidnapping methods have also changed. By Yucatan Times on July 19, 2019. He has lived and traveled abroad for more than 55 years. Likewise, it indicated that the police of the Poniente Sector were notified but, according to it, they did not pay attention. Its also become the most feared of the Mexican drug gangs. Its the highest across Mexico with the State of Mexico (Edomex) and Mexico City reporting 63 and 32 kidnappings respectively. 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. One hundred and thirty Yucatecans were attacked by snakes in 2022, Discrimination is the main cause of the decrease in the number of Mayan speakers, Mexico will send 84 athletes to the 2023 Youth Para-Panamerican Games, Cholera, number one enemy during the hot season, Oceanfront Evenings announced in Progreso, A vehicle catches fire in Conkal, Yucatn, Metropolitan Circuit joins the Va y Ven Route; it will be free of charge from March 4 -19, A man was found dead in a soccer field in Mrida, Man brutally beaten for running a stop sign in Kanasn, Rainless weekend and intense heat for the Yucatan. 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. In the month of August of this year, a decrease of 5.7 percent was detected compared to the statistics of July, when 87 events were detected. 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 . All rights reserved. Meanwhile, a nonprofit organization revealed Tuesday that there have been 69 reported kidnapping cases over the same period. We were lucky to escape, and if our story can prevent one other person from going through what we went through, and what we almost had to go through, it would be worth it., Criminals have splintered into smaller gangs. Telling them that their missing companion may have . The report presented on Monday warned thatSalamanca and Tecomncomplete the list of the top five violent cities. This crime is also not exclusive to Mexico, as the risk is widespread across Latin America. States that have scores of 4, meaning they should be avoided completely due to crime are: Colima, Guerrero, Michoacan, Sinaloa, and Tamaulipas. While celebrating his 40th birthday, Flix worries about his associates' loyalty and confronts Pacho. Inside the bloody, brutal cartel wars taking over Mexico's tourist haven According to a message from the victim on social media, the events occurredon 32nd avenue, near the Nuestra Seora del Rosario church. 17 CIA tips on how to think like a spy and stay safe while on vacation, Gun violence, safety concerns are keeping travelers away, Your California Privacy Rights/Privacy Policy. News and information from Mexico\'s Yucatn Peninsula, MEL unlocks private studios where Mrida artists work, Parque Tho: Mrida unveils plans for 20-acre park in Altabrisa, 70 days after fire, no progress restoring Teatro Pen Contreras. A Florida couple was kidnapped in Mexico City in May of 2017 while scouting wedding locations. 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. After 2007, as organized crime fragmented and groups faced more competition from rival organizations, abductions increased by almost 200 percent, according to SNSP data. The month of August of this year registered a decrease of 5.7 percent in the crime of kidnapping compared to the same period of 2019, as reported by Stop Kidnapping. I feel safer here than I do in Los Angeles, he said, adding that after the October shootings, the Mexican government dispatched 450 National Guard soldiers to Tulum to keep the peace. Save. Is Mexico Safe? What Expats Need To Know Before Moving To Mexico You can also contribute via. Most of the detainees do not exceed 23 years. The state ofBaja California cannot clean its face from the violence that thedrug traffickingleft. They never made it. Another victim, who had medical issues and wore a colostomy bag, was stripped naked, tied up and stunned with a Taser, the Miami Herald reported. In Nuevo Laredo, a retired US marine has spent 27 years, Mexico City is number 5 most populous city in the world, 4,221 vehicles were stolen in Sinaloa in 2019, University students in California prefer to study in Mexico. The government has had successes in capturing some of its most wanted criminals; consequently, organized criminal groups are becoming much less organized and disciplined. In Mexico, it is common for police officers to be directly involved in crime, any crime, said Gomez. MRIDA YUCATAN.-. The U.S Depart of State has updated its Mexico travel advisory and has decided to keep Mexico at Level Three: Reconsider Travel. 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. Support our mission, and make a gift today. According to the U.S. Department of State, 66 of these were U.S. citizens, 14 of these cases involved Legal Permanent Residents. Reducing your risk of kidnapping in a high risk destination. They had both been to Mexico a handful of times over the years, but said that experience didnt help them avoid this incident. The NGO detailed that, from December 2018 to September 2021,5 thousand 234 victims of kidnappinghave been registered, 3 thousand 993 investigation folders for the crime of kidnapping have been opened and 4 thousand 585 alleged kidnappers have been arrested. I think the government took a lot of security measures after it happened, he said, adding that authorities also cracked down on drug trafficking in the area. Please consider making a one-time contribution to Vox today. So the odds of an individual U.S. citizen being kidnapped are quite low, but they are not zero. 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. According to NGO, Yucatan reports zero kidnappings The death of a Mexican businesswoman snatched by sicarios while picking up her child at a friends home and whose body was found decapitated inside a black bag rattled heightened fears in the state of Veracruz that has been plagued by growing violence. Davids family decorated their house with balloons and signs that read, Welcome Back, David and Miguel. But they didnt come back: The kidnappers cut all contact after getting the ransom payment. According to the publication, the subjectsthreatened the neighbors: If you keep getting into my business, Im going to shoot you.. According to a message from the victim on social media, the events occurred on 32nd avenue, near the Nuestra Seora del Rosario church. My sister is always struggling with money and drugs: I own a house with my husband and mother. There is a huge incentive to participate in these activities.. On Oct. 21, US travel blogger Anjali Ryot, 25, and German tourist Jennifer Henzold, 35, were gunned down in the Tulum shooting. Its a costly part of the drug trade, financially as well as in lives lost. The Yucatan peninsula was close to the U.S., which it had tried to join on three separate occasions. Finally, someone picked up. Cuban kidnappers charged with torturing victims in Merida hideout Authorities believe drug cartels are choosing express kidnappings as a way to get high volume . Profeco analyzes 17 models, Only Mexicos Supreme Court of Justice can stop AMLOs electoral reform now. Kidnapping: Overview, Causes, Effects, and Solutions Number of kidnapping cases in Mexico 2021 | Statista We use cookies to ensure that we give you the best experience on our website. Names and boundary representation are not necessarily authoritative. Market data provided by Factset. Mexico can be a very dangerous place. The couple filed a police report, which MarketWatch reviewed for this story, and flew back to the U.S. for medical treatment, including an emergency surgery on Jennifers nose, which was broken during a fight with her attackers. Young Women Are Getting Abducted Off the Streets of Mexico's - Vice Zambada Garcia, who headed up his own eponymous criminal operation before joining the Sinaloa Cartel alongside El Chapo, is reportedly in ill health and in hiding. Christopher co-authored the book, Secrets Stolen, Fortunes Lost, Preventing Intellectual Property Theft and Economic Espionage in the 21st Century. He is the founder of Securely Travel. It ended on Sunday the 18th, when police officers broke into the building at 113 . Cabeza de Vaca without limits: former governor persecuted by justice will seek the Presidency! Ramirez was taken first, according to a text message that Rivera frantically sent to a friend. After hours of being held hostage, several violent altercations, and a failed attempted rape, the two were able to free themselves. . 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. No way was I going to go back to Cordoba that felt like a trap, he said. Nearly 1,200 kidnappings occurred in Mexico last year. This Dream Vacation Hotspot Is Spiraling Into a Deadly Cartel Battlefield 2023 FOX News Network, LLC. Mutual Fund and ETF data provided by Refinitiv Lipper. Im asked a lot about travel to Mexico, and my recommendation is dont go.. But Deborah, Ramirezs older sister, believes the reason is more obvious and more troubling. Gomez said there are now hundreds, and possibly thousands, of gangs of organized kidnappers. Its a trend that experts refer to as the democratization of kidnapping. In addition, the number of research folders started increased by 1.1%, from 85 in . Kidnappings in Mexico come in three forms. These are the cartels that capture, extort and torture migrants in 8 The hand-printed signs, in neat block letters, appeared in the Tulum marketplace the morning after two tourists were shot dead and three others wounded at a roadside eatery in the bohemian Mexican resort town. If mugged, don't attempt to resist. The agency cited an "increased risk of crime and kidnapping" in certain areas of Mexico. 11 March 2016. To get toPlayas de Rosarito, most tourists travel by car on roads with stunning views of the turquoise ocean and steep cliffs. And, We couldnt get a warrant because our printer was broken. Its a joke.. Other places in the world are far more violent., But for Almonte, who organizes seminars for US law enforcement on Mexican cartels, things are out of control and the Mexican government does not have a handle on it, he said. Mexico is experiencing a combination of conditions that collectively degrade the security environment in certain areas, the report said. The message threatened death to merchants who refuse to fork over bribes to the drug-trafficking gangs and was signed by Los Pelones the bald ones.. The State Department has issued a Level 3 travel advisory for Mexico, which means . End your day with a swim in Cenote Zaci, just five minutes from downtown. The Jalisco New Generation Cartel was founded in 2009 by Nemesio Oseguera Cervantes (El Mencho), who is among the most wanted drug traffickers on the planet after the 2014 arrest of Joaquin El Chapo Guzman, head of the Sinaloa cartel. Forget about the Traffic Light entering Mexico. Narcos: Mexico - Episodes - IMDb 2023 USA TODAY, a division of Gannett Satellite Information Network, LLC. These criminal organizations have found a special interest in the region due to the drug and people trafficking network. Mazatln Carnival: How much was spent and recovered? Im in trouble, he pleaded, crying over the phone. 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. Re: Cartels and kidnapping in PV. And the problems getting worse. I have to say I have traveled in Guerrero, precisely in Taxco, one of the beautiful Mexican Pueblos Magicos (magic towns) at about 2-hour bus from Mexico City. Verdin taunts the DEA agents torturing him. They know where they are. Tenancingo, Mexico, widely considered the sex trafficking capital of the world, is the single largest source of sex slaves sent to the US, according to the US State Department. 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. Map of drug trafficking in Mexico: the five "Hot Zones" where extreme