He is a former Senior Security Advisor to Cisco and served 30+ years within the CIA which awarded him the Distinguished Career Intelligence Medal upon his retirement. 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. The risk is higher in some locales than others. The attackers put a hood over her husbands head while they threatened them both. Travelers should "exerciseincreased caution when traveling to" Coahuila, Mexico and Nayarit and "not travel to" Zacatecas. All rights reserved. My main concern is about the people who cant get out, he said. 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. Employee Appreciation Day gestures are nice, but heres what employees really want. 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. Sevigny told Fox News Wednesday that the men handcuffed him, beat him and tortured him for 38 hours. 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. 2023 FOX News Network, LLC. A third victim escaped the Merida hideout and alerted Mexican authorities, who freed an unknown number of captives. The Miami-native has traveled extensively for nearly two decades throughout Mexico and Latin America documenting, as he calls it, the lives of people who are struggling to live., American photographer John Sevigny was kidnapped while visiting the city of Cordoba in the Mexican state of Veracruz, where violence and crime is on the rise. However, experts agree that negative news about the violent situation discourages tourists from going to southern Baja California. 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. 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. I would be surprised if one tourist per year (out of the millions who come annually) was ever kidnapped. We earn $400,000 and spend beyond our means. 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. Businesswoman beheaded after husband 'wouldn't pay' ransom, found a week after she was kidnapped allegedly with a note claiming she was killed because her husband didnt want to pay a $207,000 ransom, 366 murders over the past 80 days in the Gulf state of Veracruz, telling radio journalist Ciro Gomez Leyva, American tourists risk death to vacation in Mexico, Veracruz prosecutor Jorge Winckler Ortiz reported that his office, as well as the FBI, were investigating, travel advisory for Americans visiting Mexico last year. Please consider making a one-time contribution to Vox today. There's more bad news. Legal Statement. Cuitalhuac Garcia, governor of Veracruz, appeared to acknowledge Wednesday morning that the number of kidnappings had shut up last month, telling radio journalist Ciro Gomez Leyva that it was worrisome. Sevigny told Fox News he left forMexico City after he was releasedand because his passport was stolen, he had to go to the U.S. Embassy for help. Instead, many of these homicides are drug-related and criminal groups tend to stay away from tourists because crimes against them draw more media attention, he said. Discrimination against indigenous communities, and especially. Help me! Millions turn to Vox to educate themselves, their family, and their friends about whats happening in the world around them, and to learn about things that spark their curiosity. 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. Country Summary: Violent crime - such as homicide, kidnapping, carjacking, and robbery - is widespread and common in Mexico. According to a message from the victim on social media, the events occurred on 32nd avenue, near the Nuestra Seora del Rosario church. S2, Ep2. Copyright 2023 MarketWatch, Inc. All rights reserved. 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. Names and boundary representation are not necessarily authoritative. 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. | (clockwise from top right) Miguel Tovar; Yuri Cortez; Manuel Velasquez/Getty Images. Despite last months shootings, visitors continue to flock to the resort town. Robbery, kidnapping, drug wars and murder are not the only risks in Mexico. To get toPlayas de Rosarito, most tourists travel by car on roads with stunning views of the turquoise ocean and steep cliffs. He covers organized crime, immigration, farm policy, and anything in between. Please also read our Privacy Notice and Terms of Use, which became effective December 20, 2019. Help me! The states of Veracruz, Mexico City, Puebla, Morelos, and the State of Mexico had the highest incidence of kidnapping crime. On Oct. 21, US travel blogger Anjali Ryot, 25, and German tourist Jennifer Henzold, 35, were gunned down in the Tulum shooting. And this week, the group was hit with a real blow, according to Almonte: Mexicos military arrested Rosalinda Gonzlez Valencia, the wife of Cervantes. Then the call dropped. MRIDA YUCATAN.-. 7.8 (1,562) Rate. (many of these crimes are never reported to the police). The Gulf Cartel also has cells in some border towns in Texas, and alliances with mobsters in Italy. There are cases now where the rescue of a victim only costs $500, said Javier Hernandez, an official with the United Nations Office of Drugs and Crime in Mexico. Should we cut my sister out of the family inheritance? The number of tourists from the US to Mexico in 2017 numbered 35.5 million. Mexican drug-trafficking organizations have been engaged in brutal fights against . Kidnappings in Mexico come in three forms. After hours of being held hostage, several violent altercations, and a failed attempted rape, the two were able to free themselves. This prompted them to go ahead and contact local authorities. 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. The State Department has suggested caution in the state of Quintana Roo, which includes the popular destinations of Cancun, Tulum, and Cozumel. What were seeing is a huge increase in street fighting from the plaza bosses, Texas-based security consultant Robert Almonte, an expert on Mexican cartels, told The Post. I was not kidnapped because of my photographs as far as I know. The First Feminist Congress was held in Mrida even if most liberal women were uncomfortable with the idea of . Christopher Burgess is a writer, speaker and commentator on global security issues. If you are just hanging out in the Yucatan Peninsula, blending in with all the other tourists, you will be fine. Cenote Xoch, one of the best cenotes near Merida. The entire list of state-level advisories can be found online. USA TODAY. This month we had 82 events, which means a decrease of 5.7%, but there was a greater decrease in victims, last month we had 124 victims, today we had 107 victims, which represents a decrease of 13.7,explained Wallace. Her burned-out bullet-ridden SUV was reportedly found . A few hours later, Ramirez managed to contact his sister, Deborah. It seems that the once safe Tulum is the latest victim in Mexico's safety crisis. The State Department has issued a Level 3 travel advisory for Mexico, which means . Reducing your risk of kidnapping in a high risk destination. It is a wicked act. Or Evansville, Indiana. 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. Its part of a trend experts refer to as the democratization of kidnapping. 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. Dangerous Areas in Cancun. 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. Tourists continue to flock to Mexico each year, even throughout the COVID pandemic. "It's a shame for people to only focus on the aspect of crime and violence that take place.". There are no tourist kidnappings in Puerto Vallarta that I'm aware of. Kidnappings fell briefly thereafter, dipping to 1,069 in 2015, but they are starting to climb again. After 2007, as organized crime fragmented and groups faced more competition from rival organizations, abductions increased by almost 200 percent, according to SNSP data. This is why it is a haven for expats, early retirees, families with children, expats, digital nomads and travelers alike. The U.S. Department of State issued a travel advisory for Americans visiting Mexico last year, saying to exercise increased caution due to crime. If mugged, don't attempt to resist. All the violence comes at a time when Mexico is trying to bolster its tourism sector, which accounts for 8.5 percent of the countrys gross domestic product. 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 not doing anything to fix the problem, Almonte told The Post. Its [the recent violence] definitely concerning but its all relative. Source: infobae.com, seguridadjusticiaypaz.org.mx, Spring is coming and with it 17 tourist cruises will arrive, Watch out! Kidnapping methods have also changed. Save. Meanwhile, a nonprofit organization revealed Tuesday that there have been 69 reported kidnapping cases over the same period. The government has gotten really serious about cracking down on crime.. According to the National Index of Violence, Playas de Rosarito (Baja California) obtained 104 points;Manzanillo (Colima) 87;Tijuana (Baja California) 86;Salamanca (Guanajuato) 82 and Tecomn (Colima) 69 points. Reader support helps us keep our explainers free for all. In 26 days, we did not experience any crime. Instead, they were nabbed en route by armed gunmen, making them just two of the thousands of Mexicans rich and poor, young and old kidnapped each year. Hoy presentamos nuestro informe mensual sobre la incidencia del delito de #Secuestro con corte al mes de agosto pasado. The men commanded the couple to remove all of their jewelry and blindfolded Frank as the assailants drove them to a second location. And Rodrigo Nieto Gomez, a research professor at the Naval Postgraduate School in California, told me that the skills drug dealers use in their daily lives work for kidnappings too. 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.. More than 140,000 descend on the region every week, according to Mexican government statistics, with many wanting to invest in property for the long term, Rottloff told The Post this week. Later, the operation expanded to include gambling, prostitution and theft. The states Americans have been strictly told to avoid are Colima, Guerrero, Michoacn, Sinaloa, and Tamaulipas. 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. The Mexican government has been largely unsuccessful in their efforts to reduce kidnapping, and a large part of this failure can be attributed to high levels of official corruption. My concern is that, as a tourist, you are not going to be the target, but you might be sitting at a table next to a target, and suddenly that vacation becomes your last.. The entities with thehighest number of kidnappingscommitted during the month of August for every 100 inhabitants were;Tlaxcala, Quintana Roo, Hidalgo, Morelos, and Baja California. TheU.S. State Department issued an updated Travel AdvisoryWednesday for U.S. travelers visiting Mexico, including new state-level adviceandinformation on "kidnapping risk.". From 107 in August, the victims went to 162 in the month of September, while the formal complaints before the prosecutors increased from 82 to 90. In the wake of the shocking Cancun shooting, some Americans may be wondering if it's safe to visit the area. Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment. Getty Images. The kidnappers were asking for 4 million Mexican pesos, which the family confirms they were unable to collect in time. 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 . I feel extremely safe here, said a Dutch expatriate, who just closed on a home in the area. To get the low-down on the situation we turned to a number of governments travel warnings on Mexico, especially those who called out the kidnapping threat. In September, the State Department tripled the reward for information leading to his capture from $5 million to $15 million. 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 you decide to travel to Mexico City to shop, and you leave your kids outside expensive jewelry stores in your Rolls Royce, and you do this every Saturday, then there is a small chance they will be kidnapped. In her message the young woman calls on women to be careful. While celebrating his 40th birthday, Flix worries about his associates' loyalty and confronts Pacho. While five Mexican states including Michoacan and Sinaloa are listed as places not recommended for travel, the advisory for Veracruz has no restrictions. Two men who were also there with them were killed and the women were sexually assaulted, he said. Support our mission, and make a gift today. But this number is likely a low ball. Mutual Fund and ETF data provided by Refinitiv Lipper. The woman known as La Jefa the chief was Jaliscos main accountant, part of a subgroup known as Los Cuinis, Almonte said. Despite the opening of specialized prosecutors offices, the government has not yet been able to curb the cruelty of themurders, uprisings, and extortion. He has lived and traveled abroad for more than 55 years. They lost their friend while partying late at night and the next morning the group still had not had any contact with him. The authorities are colluding with the kidnappers, she said. Kidnappings for ransom accounted for 81 of the investigations, 10 cases had no ransom demands, and 25 cases were virtual kidnappings. Please consider making a one-time contribution to Vox today. What I learned after being robbed at gunpoint in Mexico, It broke me: Everyone says you need power of attorney, but nobody tells you how hard it is to use. Its a costly part of the drug trade, financially as well as in lives lost. The civil association Stop Kidnapping revealed that the number of victims associated with kidnapping decreased in February on Mexicowith a ratio of 7.9 percent, 131 victims were reported during the month.. Information about crime in Merida, Mexico. On Feb. 19, rival drug dealers opened fire at Art Beach Tulum, a restaurant on the outskirts of Tulum where an order of sea bass with asparagus risotto and seaweed cream goes for $35. 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. In Mexico, it is common for police officers to be directly involved in crime, any crime, said Gomez. According to the publication, the subjectsthreatened the neighbors: If you keep getting into my business, Im going to shoot you.. . The fact that in a long period of time there has been not a single kidnapping in Yucatan is due to some of the strategies deployed at the state level, such as the installation of the Coordination Table for the Construction of Peace and the operation of the Multidisciplinary Group of Justice. None of the killings occurred . 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. MONTERREY, Mexico David Ramirez, a 19-year-old college student from Mexico City, and his best friend Miguel Angel Rivera, 20, were on their way to celebrate Miguels birthday in Zihuatanejo, a coastal village in the Mexican state of Guerrero. 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. The report presented on Monday warned thatSalamanca and Tecomncomplete the list of the top five violent cities.
Plano 787 Replacement Parts,
Articles K
