Mexico: Spike in violence in Cancún (Quintana Roo)

Event

Rising levels of violence have been recorded in the tourist hotspot of Cancún (Quintana Roo state) as of early April. Over 120 people have been murdered in the city thus far in 2018. At least nine people were killed in a 36-hour span in early April, marking the deadliest single day in the city for over ten years. The US Department of State does not include Cancún in its travel restrictions; however, it does warn that targeted killings continue to occur in areas frequented by tourists.

Context

2017 was the most violent year on record in Mexico with over 25,000 homicides reported nationwide; violence levels continue to climb in 2018. The spike in violence has been attributed in part to fierce turf wars between competing and increasingly fragmented cartels. This trend has been observed in much of the country since mid-2016 despite the deployment of extra security forces to the worst-affected areas. Business owners and government figures are also targeted, and bystanders can be caught up in the crossfire.

Advice

Individuals present in Cancún - and Mexico more generally - are advised to remain vigilant, to vary daily routines, and to refrain from sharing personal information with unknown persons to reduce the risk of being targeted by potential kidnappers. If abducted, remain calm and obey all demands issued by your assailant(s). Do everything in your power to keep the situation as calm as possible (accept offered food, engage in conversation initiated by your captors, avoid all political or potentially inflammatory topics, do not do anything that would alarm your captors, etc.).