Traveling to Mexico’s beautiful resorts and Mayan ruins used to be a dream vacation for many. However, recent events have turned these once-safe destinations into terrifying and dangerous hot spots.
Drug cartels, which have been at war with each other for control of the country’s lucrative tourism industry, have become increasingly violent and brazen, threatening the safety of both locals and tourists alike.
Private investigator Jay Armes III, who has tracked cartel activity for decades, recently spoke with Fox News Digital about the alarming rise in cartel violence in Mexico’s resort areas and the impact it’s having on tourism.
According to Armes, four major cartels are currently waging a brutal battle for control over the Caribbean coast, a popular tourist destination that generates billions of dollars in revenue for the country. These cartels, including notorious groups like the Sinaloa Cartel and the Jalisco New Generation Cartel, are no longer bound by any code of conduct and are willing to do anything to gain an edge over their rivals.
What’s even more concerning is that these cartels are now targeting tourists as potential victims or customers. This has led to a disturbing trend of tourists getting caught in the crossfire or becoming victims of robbery and sex trafficking.
“Who we see as tourists are potential customers or potential victims to the cartels,” Armes said. “Even if it’s 1% or 5% (of tourists to the resort areas), that’s millions of customers and a big chunk of business.”
“With all these young kids coming up (through the cartel ranks), there’s no respect for anything,” he said. “It’s become a free-for-all.”
The rise in cartel violence is not limited to resort areas; it has also spread to the Mayan ruins in the Chiapas state, located near the Guatemalan border. According to reports, cartels have set up checkpoints at popular tourist sites, intimidating and extorting visitors for their own gain. This has resulted in a significant decline in tourism, with many travelers canceling their trips due to safety concerns.
One of the biggest challenges in addressing the escalating cartel violence in Mexico is the government’s reluctance to acknowledge and take action against it. It has been reported that government officials, including President Andrés Manuel López Obrador, have downplayed the issue, which has only emboldened the cartels further.
This lack of action and acknowledgment by the government has essentially given the cartels immunity, leaving citizens and tourists vulnerable to their violence.
