Private investigator Jay Armes III told Fox News Digital about the horrifying situation along an 80-mile strip of resorts on Mexico’s Caribbean coast, where four rival drug cartels are waging a fierce war for dominance.
Why They Are Fighting
The cartels are fighting to gain access to Mexico’s profitable $30 billion tourism industry, which has led to random violence that has killed both locals and foreign visitors.
American Tourists in Danger
Armes says that Americans — and travelers from all over the world — have become collateral damage, witnessing horrific violence or “just disappearing, erased from the face of earth,” Armes said.
The Cartels Involved
The four main cartels competing for business in those areas are El Chapo’s old cartel, the Sinaloa Cartel; the Gulf Cartel; the Jalisco New Generation Cartel; and the Grupo Regional, a “smaller” cartel formed by former Zetas.
Mexico’s Tourism Industry
Tourism is vital for Mexico’s economy, with millions of international visitors, including a large number of American tourists, going to places like Cancun every year.
Tourist Hot Spots Turn War Zones
However, these heavenly places have now become war zones as cartel violence spills over into tourist areas, compromising the safety and security of visitors.
Travel Spots Are Cut Off
Despite assurances from government officials, reports suggest that tourist destinations like the Mayan ruins in Chiapas have been effectively cut off by cartel activity, raising doubts about the safety of travel in certain regions.
No Rules Anymore
Previously, the cartel leaders followed a code of conduct similar to the Italian mob, where certain lines, such as targeting women or children, were not crossed, and tourist areas were off-limits.
However, this code has been abandoned, leading to increasing violence in formerly safe resort areas.
Accidental Deaths
Travelers are accidentally caught in the violence, becoming targets for robberies, sex trafficking, or finding themselves as innocent bystanders in situations where they are in the wrong place at the wrong time.
Recent Cases
Recent incidents include cartel members using machetes to dismember rivals in Cancun, the death of a California woman caught in crossfire near a popular Tulum beach, and the abduction of a New York man who was later found abandoned in a secluded jungle with his eyes taped shut.
These gruesome events, although shocking, are unfortunately not rare, according to Armes.
Tourists Are Customers
Armes noted the role of travel bloggers and social media influencers in attracting large crowds of travelers to Mexico, which is a new scene for the cartels.
“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.”
Safety Concerns Affect Mexico’s Tourism
As Mexico struggles with escalating cartel violence and its impact on tourism, the safety of travelers remains a major concern.
Underplaying Gang Activity
The government and President Andrés Manuel López Obrador have been downplaying gang violence, but starting around December, tourists have canceled about 5% of trips booked for the area.
