Report sightings of monkeys in crops in Sinanch, Yucatn. The hot spots (or hot zones) in the country (Map: Infobae Mxico) In the aforementioned period, more than 4,491 murders were registered in the largest source of alarm in the country: the Guanajuato-Michoacn area - disputed mainly by the Jalisco Nueva Generacin Cartel, Santa Rosa de Lima, and the United Cartels -, and in where the National Guard has a permanent presence in 22 percent of . The Massabkis believe they were able to escape in part because they are both fluent in Spanish and could understand what the kidnappers were saying. Like all countries around the world, sexual assault, pickpocketing and scams also present risks for travellers. By Yucatan Times on July 19, 2019. Get me his father, the voice demanded. 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. There is also updated information on the "kidnapping risk"for the states of Colima, Michoacan, Sinaloa, Tamaulipas, Zacatecas, Baja California, Chihuahua, Guanajuato, Jalisco, Sonora, Nuevo Leon, Puebla, Quintana Rooand San Luis Potosi. Violence is on the rise in Mexicos central and southern states, a 2018 report from the OSAC found. 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. The authorities are colluding with the kidnappers, she said. Names and boundary representation are not necessarily authoritative. Thats all gone now. 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. We accept credit card, Apple Pay, and Abducting people and demanding ransom money is one way to do that. Forget about the Traffic Light entering Mexico. There is a lot of suffering going on. I will be back to Latin America. It all started in 2017 when the local authorities carried out the arrest of two men of Russian origin, who in the United States had a criminal record implicated in drug dealing. Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment. 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. Only 1 percent of all kidnappers are captured and carried to justice, said Torres Landa, the Mexico United Against Organized Crime consultant. Its slogan is: Were all going to behave. (AP), Lopez Obrador has launched a campaign aimed at persuading people to not break the law. The kidnappers told the Massabkis to start thinking of people to call in the U.S. for a ransom. Well, were still doing business in real estate, said Rottloff. TheU.S. State Department issued an updated Travel AdvisoryWednesday for U.S. travelers visiting Mexico, including new state-level adviceandinformation on "kidnapping risk.". Kidnappings in Mexico come in three forms. The NGO detailed that, from December 2018 to September 2021, 5 thousand 234 victims of kidnapping have been registered, . Its a trend that experts refer to as the democratization of kidnapping. Scores are obtained through a methodology that includes crimes such as homicide, kidnapping, willful injury, and extortion. Discrimination against indigenous communities, and especially. Its slogan is: Were all going to behave.. The message threatened death to merchants who refuse to fork over bribes to the drug-trafficking gangs and was signed by Los Pelones the bald ones.. Nearly 1,200 kidnappings occurred in Mexico last year. On Oct. 21, US travel blogger Anjali Ryot, 25, and German tourist Jennifer Henzold, 35, were gunned down in the Tulum shooting. The states of Veracruz, Mexico City, Puebla, Morelos, and the State of Mexico had the highest incidence of kidnapping crime. I heard the kidnappers talking about working with local authorities about kidnapping people.. Gomez said there are now hundreds, and possibly thousands, of gangs of organized kidnappers. The State Department has suggested caution in the state of Quintana Roo, which includes the popular destinations of Cancun, Tulum, and Cozumel. Between January and March 2018, almost 400 people were kidnapped. Mexico City's . Was it to arrange a kidnapping or a timeshare sales pitch, well never know, nor did we wish to find out. If convicted, they could face a maximum of 20 years in prison for kidnapping and a maximum of 15 years for human smuggling, according to media reports. Kidnapping methods have also changed. CAN TACOS BE HEALTHY should tacos be considered Junk food or health food? President Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador has launched a campaign aimed at persuading people to not break the law. Help me! Visit a quote page and your recently viewed tickers will be displayed here. Mutual Fund and ETF data provided by Refinitiv Lipper. The Gulf Cartel also has cells in some border towns in Texas, and alliances with mobsters in Italy. Basically, if you know how to run a drug smuggling operation, you know and own 90 percent of what you need to be a secuestrador [kidnapper], he told me. Powered and implemented by FactSet Digital Solutions. You can also contribute via. Tenancingo, Mexico, widely considered the sex trafficking capital of the world, is the single largest source of sex slaves sent to the US, according to the US State Department. Hearing this, my wife and I exited the cab at the next stop light. Hoy presentamos nuestro informe mensual . Likewise, it indicated that the police of the Poniente Sector were notified but, according to it, they did not pay attention. Make informed decisions that reduce your risk of being kidnapped. 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. 7.8 (1,562) Rate. According to Numbeo's 2021 statistics, Merida ranks #8 as the safest city in the Americas. Before 2020, more than eight million Americans visited Mexico each year, and a 2019 census reported that 1.2 million American and Canadian expats call Mexico home.. Expats are mostly drawn to the beach areas for the amazing weather, crystal-clear Pacific Ocean or Caribbean Sea, the lower cost of living, and the . Flix offers opium dealer Guerra a partnership deal. Kidnapping has been a problem in Mexico for decades, but its gotten much, much worse in recent years. In Baja California, the arrival of theArzate brothers, meant a radical change in the illegal drug business. In Mexico, it is common for police officers to be directly involved in crime, any crime, said Gomez. To get toPlayas de Rosarito, most tourists travel by car on roads with stunning views of the turquoise ocean and steep cliffs. Its slogan is: Were all going to behave., MEXICAN BUSINESSWOMAN DECAPITATED AFTER FAMILY WOULDNT PAY RANSOM, REPORTS SAY. In addition, the number of research folders started increased by 1.1%, from 85 in . The risk is higher in some locales than others. They are among the hundreds of people targeted by kidnappings in Mexico each year, according to the Overseas Security Advisory Council (OSAC), a bureau of the State Department that addresses international security. The U.S. housing market is crumbling under the weight of higher mortgage rates and rock-bottom affordability: Prices fell the most in these U.S. states. Protesters join friends and family members of the 43 missing students of Ayotzinapa, Mexico, on the third year of their disappearance during marches held throughout 2017 in Mexico City. Source: infobae.com, seguridadjusticiaypaz.org.mx, Spring is coming and with it 17 tourist cruises will arrive, Watch out! We were held in a house that was practically a torture chamber., He added: I have met a lot of cartel people with my work I havent met anyone as particularly cruel as these men. Legal Statement. Who knows what kind of information she will give to authorities, Almonte told The Post. The attack began after elements of the Municipalitys Public Security Secretariat attended to a report of the illegal deprivation of liberty of a person. The men got out of their truck to beat them, breaking away their mirror, then they got into their vehicles and followed my neighbors to their house threatening them, she wrote. Yucatn Magazine is a resource for curious readers looking for news, information and inspiration about living in Mexico. State governor Carlos Joaquin called the recent beach commando raid a serious blow to the development and security of the state putting the state at grave risk. With turf wars increasing among rival cartels, homicides in the state rose from 145 in 2015 to 628 in 2020 a 333 percent increase in a place where 75 percent of the local economy is based on tourism, according to Mexican statistics. 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. They had to find other sources of income, which gave the hitmen in these groups carte blanche to participate in activities like kidnapping and extortion, he said. My sister is always struggling with money and drugs: I own a house with my husband and mother. The government has had successes in capturing some of its most wanted criminals; consequently, organized criminal groups are becoming much less organized and disciplined. 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. The 80s saw Gulf focus on cocaine and marijuana trafficking, followed by fentanyl and other synthetic drugs not to mention racketeering and human trafficking at the border, according to Mexican and US authorities. Still, the sisters hang on to their hope that Ramirez and Rivera are still alive. On Monday in a press briefing,Department spokesperson Ned Price said there were no reports to share on U.S. citizens being injured or killed in the incident. The agency cited an "increased risk of crime and kidnapping" in certain areas of Mexico. A Florida couple was kidnapped in Mexico City in May of 2017 while scouting wedding locations. CANCUN CLUB SHOOTING LEAVES 5 DEAD, 5 WOUNDED, AUTHORITIES SAY. Jose was taken by kidnappers in central Mexico over a year ago. Without jinxing anything, what we want to make clear is that Merida is a very safe place to be. I am glad the wedding couple escaped alive. 17 CIA tips on how to think like a spy and stay safe while on vacation, Gun violence, safety concerns are keeping travelers away, Your California Privacy Rights/Privacy Policy. Profeco analyzes 17 models, Only Mexicos Supreme Court of Justice can stop AMLOs electoral reform now. And the problems getting worse. Local reports claim there have been 366 murders over the past 80 days in the Gulf state of Veracruz more than 4.5 murders each day. In addition, for years it has been suspected that in Playas de Rosarito, a group ofRussian criminals could be behind a series of crimes in the entity. News and information from Mexico\'s Yucatn Peninsula, MEL unlocks private studios where Mrida artists work, Parque Tho: Mrida unveils plans for 20-acre park in Altabrisa, 70 days after fire, no progress restoring Teatro Pen Contreras. He has appeared on CNN, BBC, I24, China News, Bloomberg, CBS, NBC, and ABC providing commentary and analysis. From about 2007 to 2016, the number of criminal groups in Mexico rocketed from six to 400, according to Mexico United Against Organized Crime. Margarita Mara Ochoa, 72, is the sole survivor of a kidnapping that began at 2:00 p.m. on Friday, December 16th. Call Davids mom! If you are just hanging out in the Yucatan Peninsula, blending in with all the other tourists, you will be fine. 50. The principal motives for kidnapping are to subject the victim to some form of involuntary servitude, to expose him to the commission of some further criminal act against his person, or to . In addition to the 10 outfits fighting to control drug sales in the plazas or drug marketplaces of Tulum, there are two other gangs in Cancun fighting for dominance of the Riviera Maya, according to Oscar Montes de Oca, the lead prosecutor in the state of Quintana Roo, where Cancun, Puerto Morelos and Tulum are located. When they saw that the neighbors came out they got into their truck and left, she said. Jennifer and Frank Massabki are telling their story to caution other Americans heading to the country. Andrew Cuomo may keep $5.1M COVID payday despite JCOPE rev Canadian teacher with size-Z prosthetic breasts placed on paid leave, What's next for Buster Murdaugh after dad's murder conviction, life sentence, Murdaugh son collapsed outside court after sitting stone-faced through dad's 6-week murder trial: source, Hated Tom Sandoval addresses Ariana Madix split amid cheating claims, Kelly Osbourne posts first photo of baby son as he hangs out with uncle Jack, Greys Anatomy alum Isaiah Washington retiring from acting: The haters have won, Max Scherzer's first look at the new pitch clock, Tom Sizemore And The Dangerous Burden of Desperation, Kellyanne Conway and George Conway to divorce. Beginning around 2006, criminal groups began to use kidnappings and the ransom money they got from desperate families to help fund those activities, according to Vctor Manuel Snchez Valds, a research professor at the Autonomous University of Coahuila, Mexico. I feel safer here than I do in Los Angeles, he said, adding that after the October shootings, the Mexican government dispatched 450 National Guard soldiers to Tulum to keep the peace. 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. This story has been shared 114,982 times. The formerly bustling tourist town faces a marked wave of drug-related violence and human trafficking. We can't provide you with security and protection. The Gulf Cartel among the oldest criminal enterprises in Mexico is mired in infighting, according to security experts. 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. This is going to get a lot worse for you, Jennifer recalls one attacker telling her (she and Frank are both fluent in Spanish). Robbery, kidnapping, drug wars and murder are not the only risks in Mexico. According to the U.S. Department of State, 66 of these were U.S. citizens, 14 of these cases involved Legal Permanent Residents. In 2019, that amounted to more than $25 billion generated from 45 million tourists, according to Mexicos National Tourism Business Council. Lamentablemente en #BajaCalifornia la incidencia del delito de #Secuestro aument 350% en los primeros 8 meses del ao, lo que coloca a la entidad en el primer lugar con mayor incremento registrado. After the 'Colado' was kidnapped, his alleged captors sent photographs to the man's family to ask for a ransom of about 10 million pesos. 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. According to the Citizen Council for Public Security and Criminal Justice AC, the rearrangement and the dispute of the cartels by the areas of the state, brought the municipality of Playas de Rosarito, Baja California, to first place in the list of the most violent sites in Mexico. When Frank got out to talk to the driver, two men with weapons descended upon them and took them hostage in their car, according to a police report filed with Mexico City officials. As a result, criminal groups, beginning in the early 2000s, shifted their efforts toward the middle and lower classes. Mexico kidnap: The inside story. The one we read about the most is Kidnap for Ransom. Other forms are Express Kidnapping where the victim is kidnapped for the sole purpose of making ATM withdrawals and Virtual Kidnappings where no kidnapping has actually occurred but family members are manipulated into thinking one has in an attempt to induce them to pay a ransom. The US Embassy reports that within the consular district served by the consulate within the Embassy (the US has ten consular districts in Mexico) there were 771 kidnappings reported by the Mexico government. Each of these cases may have involved more than one victim, so the total number of homicides is likely to be higher. 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. I moved around by bus, alone, and felt extremely safe. Save. The government itself is completely incapable of dealing with the problem., MEXICAN POLICE FIND 20 BODIES, MOST BURNED, CLOSE TO US BORDER. 2023 FOX News Network, LLC. This is the real story of "Maria" and her husband "Jose". MUGGING RISK : LOW. Of particular note, is that I followed my own advice in selecting the cab, and went to a Sitio cab stand and did not hail a taxi on the street. Financial contributions from our readers are a critical part of supporting our resource-intensive work and help us keep our journalism free for all. No way was I going to go back to Cordoba that felt like a trap, he said. So among stories of drug cartels, kidnappings, and more, it might get you wonderingis Merida, Mexico safe? The State Department has issued a Level 3 travel advisory for Mexico, which means . But after what occurred over the next few days, they didnt know if they ever wanted to set foot in the country again. Mexican government figures from last month showed that homicide cases in Mexico rose by 15 percent in 2018 with 28,816 investigations opened last year, compared to 25,036 the previous year. The states of Veracruz, Mexico City, Puebla, Morelos, and the State of Mexico had the highest incidence of kidnapping crime. The signs were photographed by a local citizens advocacy group, which posted them to social media. 775. Am I crazy? After my mother died, my cousin took her designer purse, and my aunt took 8 paintings from her home then things really escalated, What's next for bonds in 2023 after the worst year in history. But their journey ended instead in Yucatan, each locked in a house and held for US$10,000 ransom. Surprisingly, the data showed that Veracruz cut homicides by 20 percent a statistic that Garcia praised. The monthly report detailed that in January the number of detainees for the crime of kidnapping decreased to 72.4 percent, since only 35 people were apprehended, while in December 127 arrests were reported. The Expo Dinosaurios arrives in Mrida on March 3. Fifty-one of the kidnappings in Veracruz happened in the month January, Alto al Secuestro reported. "It's a shame for people to only focus on the aspect of crime and violence that take place.". You've successfully subscribed to this newsletter! Mazatln Carnival: How much was spent and recovered? The kidnapping shocks middle-class, Long Island suburbia and makes nationwide headlines. Sevigny told Fox News Wednesday that the men handcuffed him, beat him and tortured him for 38 hours. According to a message from the victim on social media, the events occurred on 32nd avenue, near the Nuestra Seora del Rosario church. Despite the opening of specialized prosecutors offices, the government has not yet been able to curb the cruelty of themurders, uprisings, and extortion. He said on Ciro por la maana that the rise in homicides and kidnappings over the past 80 days has shown that cartels and criminals are changing their tactics. Like most big cities, organised crime occurs. The couple believed they were able to escape because both spoke fluent Spanish and were physically fit. According to local news reports, a note was left with the body saying she was killed because her husband 'didn't want to pay' the ransom. 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. President Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador has launched a campaign aimed at persuading people to not break the law. With Spring Break travel around the corner, U.S. residents are being urged by the state department to avoid travel to Mexico, with all but two of the country's 32 states under an elevated warning . Her burned-out bullet-ridden SUV was reportedly found . There he spoke with a federal agent, who said they could not investigate unless he made a report with local authorities in Cordoba. Cabeza de Vaca without limits: former governor persecuted by justice will seek the Presidency! Mexican cities remain top tourist destinations. 2018 promises to be one of the most violent years on record in Mexico. Tamaulipas state due to crime and kidnapping. The NGO detailed that, from December 2018 to September 2021,5 thousand 234 victims of kidnappinghave been registered, 3 thousand 993 investigation folders for the crime of kidnapping have been opened and 4 thousand 585 alleged kidnappers have been arrested. See all contact information. Two of the . Mexico is not doing anything to fix the problem, Almonte told The Post. Earlier this year, Americans were warned to "avoid travel to Mexico" after recent security incidents in tourist destinations like Cancun and Playa Del Carmen. Christopher Burgess is a writer, speaker and commentator on global security issues. 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 Dry Tortugas National Park located about 70 miles off of Key West, Florida has , A British tourist was gunned down on 02 January at the guest house at which . We've received your submission. Cenotes Santa Barbara. In addition, they are in charge of defending the plaza with murders and kidnappings against the Jalisco Nueva Generacin Cartel and the Tijuana Cartel. Mexico's National Human Rights Commission uncovered the massive phenomenon of the kidnapping of Central American migrants in the country in 2008, when it recorded 198 kidnappings and 9,857 . If mugged, don't attempt to resist. Jalisco is among the main producers of the fentanyl and methamphetamine that is smuggled to the US. This is the reason why Mazatln stopped being the Capital of Sinaloa, Rescuing tradition! Frank ran and found police who returned to get Jennifer, who was hiding in a tree from her attackers. Among those killed were Rhonita Maria Miller, 30, and her four children Howard, 12, Krystal 10, and 8-month-old babies Titus and Tiana. The U.S. State Department recently updated Mexico's travel warning for U.S. For a number of months you would go to a restroom in a restaurant and there would be some guy with a backpack trying to sell you drugs. Its a costly part of the drug trade, financially as well as in lives lost. S2, Ep2. They tied her up and went to look for Frank and, while they were gone, she was able to free herself and make a run for it. We have other figures that dont coincide (with those of Alto al Secuestro), Garcia said.