In the last 21 months there have been more than 1,300 deaths in the city that was once considered a tourist paradise : Reforma/ Sunday Edition
Acapulco, Guerrero: At least 16 criminal cells have plunged Acapulco into a wave of violence.
In the last 21 months, according to the Executive Secretariat of the National Public Security System, there have been more than 1,300 deaths in the city that were once considered a tourist paradise.
According to an internal report from the municipal Public Security Secretariat (SSP), the city is hit by hitmen cells that are divisions of the Acapulco Independent Cartel (CIDA), an arm in the port city of what was once the organization of the Beltrán Leyva, directed by Édgar Valdez Villarreal, "La Barbie".
It operates in the Miguel Alemán Coastal, the center of the city, and more than 80 Colonias in the western area, in addition to the Las Cruces prison.
"Los Virus", the second most important group, controls part of Zona Diamante or Diamond Zone and Puerto Marqués and another part of the Miguel Alemán Coastal Area, according to the report.
The other 14 criminal cells, referred to in the report as "atomized gangs," act on their own in suburban Colonias and rural communities. In the absence of security, in several Colonias the neighbors have imposed a kind of "curfew" at night to avoid being victims of crime.
Criminal organizations also operate the collection of weekly fees for public transport.
In addition, when a criminal group suffers the detention of one of its members by the authorities, they force the transport drivers to carry out blockages.
Businessmen and transporters say that the battle between these criminal groups has accentuated the collection of piso, kidnappings and homicides.
Alejandro Martínez Sidney, leader in Acapulco of the Federation of Chambers of Commerce, said that the inhabitants of this municipality live in an unstoppable situation of violence.The businessmen who have their businesses in the Coastal, Zona Centro , ie Downtown, Diamond Zone, Puerto Marques, he said, continue to pay fees to the crime groups to be able to work.
Taxi drivers are huge targets for collecting piso, being forced into working as halcones (or hawks ie outlooks) or making pick ups and deliveries in order to pay their "fees to operate".
Imagine how people felt about Juárez In 2010!
ReplyDeleteAcapulco’s downfall happened rather quick starting around 2008. There was maybe one more good year after that and boom. It’s just gotten worse. I still go at least once per year but before I was there 4 times per year. It was the best nightlife on earth. The sunset in Acapulco is magical and waking up to the view of the bay is spectacular. The nightlife is gone and what’s left of it you always have to worry. Still I go and stay mostly along the tourist zone. Saturday night comes and you can hit a popular taco joint and see “normal” looking Mexican families and young weekend chilangos eating before the big night out. Outside of the weekend it’s a ghost town especially later at night. If you walk late night you are a sitting duck. Even when things got bad we felt safe because they weren’t looking for us but now the insecure has reached a point where nobody is safe. The marketing people and business owners are clueless. Example other areas in low season run promotions. Acapulco just raises prices. Things are rundown and not kept up. Many businesses are closed. Anyone that spent time there before and tries to relive it today will have a different exp. sub the weather is still great but even the hotels don’t have a clue about customer service. Nobody knows anything there. Everyone is in a bubble. It’s sad. There’s some great peeps there but just preyed upon. It’s a whole different Mexico compared to Vallarta.
ReplyDeleteAfter BLO got thrown out!
DeleteLa barbie had it calm after that it all went down hill without his presence.
DeleteHe was the grim reaper going after Z’s. Look it up - SD
Ran into La barbie one time in a restroom at a nightclub. I was the only gringo speaking English and he got very suspicious. didn't know it was him until later. I'm lucky I wasn't taken for interrogation. This was the year he was nabbed. He was paranoid as F as I recall in retrospect. I just recall him asking me dumb questions and I took him as a drunk.
DeleteWell written. You've got a unique and interesting perspective on how Hell came to paradise.
DeleteThe best of Acapulco in terms of tourism left years ago, for better job opportunities and more dollars. It's not coming back. Even if crime fell to zero, there will never be a big upswing in International tourism, and no returning to its golden years.
DeleteI worry especially about how those poppy growing operations become entrenched, not so much about the realities of living in a violent city. Problem for me is that I am certain that Acapulco is a city where established relationships elsewhere would draw interest and mortal danger for me. So I'll probably never experience it. I talk to Guerrerense elsewhere, and man those women are beautiful.
DeleteIf you look at the homicide statistics, The homicide numbers are down 30% yoy in Acapulco. http://guerrero.semaforo.com.mx/
ReplyDeleteThe extortion issue however continues as it has, strangling business owners, and retarding local business investment.
Sadly it would probably be better if one group controlled all the Acapulco area at this point.
ReplyDeleteCrime is rampant, tourist dollars will be lost, it's a no man's land.
ReplyDeleteLos commandos de las fuerzas especiales de Doña Lety La 40 are currently in training prior to deployment. They will clean Acapulco and bring back the peace Acapulco is CDS
ReplyDeleteAcapulco has platoons of soldiers all over the costera. All for show and most on their cell phones. If someone is shot across the street chances are the killer won’t be caught. Hell on earth for many.
ReplyDeleteAcapulco knew how to run tourism before, the service was spectacular. But most locals have know clue how to run a business. How could they when most businesses were money laundering operations.
ReplyDeleteAcapulco knew how to run tourism before, the service was spectacular. But most locals have know clue how to run a business. How could they when most businesses were money laundering operations.
ReplyDeleteThe last good year was 2006, I was down in 2008 and 2010 but it was starting to get bad. What a shame. Once a beautiful vacation destination for so many, a ghost town. Such a damn shame that those people have to live that way.
ReplyDelete