Bodies Found in Cancun: A Concerning Development for Mexico’s Tourism Industry
Authorities in Cancun, a popular Mexican resort city, have made a grisly discovery of eight bodies dumped throughout the area.[0] The remains were discovered in various locations, including a construction site and a wooded area on the outskirts of Cancun.[1] Three of the bodies were found as skeletal remains and have yet to be identified.[2] This discovery marks a concerning development for a region that has long been considered the crown jewel of Mexico's tourism industry.[2] The increasing level of violence is a concerning pattern for the area, which heavily depends on income from tourism.
Over the weekend, police conducted searches in wooded areas and cenotes, resulting in the discovery of the bodies.[3] Oscar Montes de Oca, the chief prosecutor of Quintana Roo's Caribbean coast state, promised to conduct additional investigations and verifications while addressing families of missing persons.[2] Investigators were joined by volunteer searchers, some of whom were the relatives of the missing individuals, and specially trained dogs during the search efforts.[4]
The presence of drug gangs in Cancun and the luxurious Caribbean coast has resulted in violent feuds. The recent events in Cancun represent a significant shift, as the city's thriving tourism industry has typically been insulated from such incidents.[2] The retail drug trade along the Caribbean coast is being fiercely contested by multiple groups, while drug cartels resort to concealing their victims in secretive dumping sites.
The discovery of the bodies has prompted the U.S. State Department to issue a travel advisory for the region.[1] It warned travelers to “exercise increased caution,” especially after dark, at Mexico's Caribbean beach resorts like Cancun, Playa del Carmen, and Tulum, which have been plagued by drug gang violence in the past.[1] The recent events in Cancun have put a spotlight on Mexico's ongoing cartel and gang violence, which has generated a surge of violence in the country.
Throughout Mexico, it has become routine to search for clandestine grave sites due to the fact that over 112,000 people are reported as missing.[2] In recent years, these searches have become a regular occurrence across the country and usually entail teams searching wooded regions, as well as locations such as cenotes, sinkholes, and ponds.[1] Frequently, these areas are utilized by drug cartels to discard the corpses of their victims.
The escalating violence in Cancun is a significant concern for the region that relies heavily on tourism revenue. In the year 2022, it was reported that two individuals of Canadian nationality lost their lives in Playa del Carmen, allegedly due to conflicts stemming from outstanding debts between criminal organizations involved in the illicit trade of drugs and weapons.[2] Two tourists, one a travel blogger born in India from California and the other a German national, lost their lives in Tulum in 2021 due to being caught in the crossfire of a gun battle between rival drug dealers.[2] It is clear that Mexico's cartel and gang violence is a serious issue that needs to be addressed to ensure the safety of tourists and locals alike.
0. “Top Tourist Destination in Crisis: Eight More Bodies Found Near Resort” East Oregonian, 26 Apr. 2023, https://www.eastoregonian.com/business/finance/top-tourist-destination-in-crisis-eight-more-bodies-found-near-resort/image_ec8b1443-119a-5fff-ba61-8944c0490736.html
1. “Eight bodies found in resort city of Cancun” Yahoo Life, 26 Apr. 2023, https://www.yahoo.com/lifestyle/eight-bodies-found-resort-city-145500350.html
2. “Cancun Authorities Discover Eight Bodies, Highlighting Growing Drug Violence in Mexico's Top Tourist Destination” Puerto Vallarta Daily News, 26 Apr. 2023, https://www.vallartadaily.com/cancun-authorities-discover-eight-bodies-highlighting-growing-drug-violence-in-mexicos-top-tourist-destination
3. “8 bodies found dumped in Mexican resort of Cancun, authorities say” KABC-TV, 26 Apr. 2023, https://abc7.com/cancun-mexico-bodies-found-dead/13188898
4. “Mexican Authorities Discover 8 Bodies Discarded in Cancún Resort” Radar Online, 26 Apr. 2023, https://radaronline.com/p/8-bodies-discovered-near-popular-cancun-tourist-spots/
