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`Police in the Mexican state of Yucatan have found the bodies of 11 men, decapitated and piled on each other`
I`ve just dragged the headline off the BBC News website. It`s a bit of a worry that the large scale violence that has afflicted much of the rest of Mexico is now starting to appear in the touristy spots. I was hoping to go over there maybe next year to dive the cenotes, but if this sort of thing gets more prevelant, I`ll have to think again.
Would anyone who has been there recently like to add a comment ?
This is indeed surprising for the Yucatan. Merida is far from the Tulum area Cenotes; there may be Cenotes over there, but I don't know if there are any diveable? The ones in that area are associated with the Chicxulub Crater of the meteorite that wiped out almost all life on earth at the KT boundry.
It certainly suggests a drug war action. Not likely that a tourist would get involved.
The main tourist dive areas are in the state of Quintana Roo.
I haven't been to Merida, but it is the "big city" of the Yucatan, and I would expect more crime and problems there than in the sparsely populated and heavily tourist-dependent areas of the Riviera Maya.
When I was in the Yucatan diving at Dos Ojos earlier this year, one of our dive instructors told me about all of the beautiful Cenotes that are essentially off limits due to bandits. In some of the more remote spots it is fairly common that bandits will hold up the dive vehicles. While brandishing guns they politely ask that you load your dive gear onto their trucks and then they drive off. According to him, they are just interested in stealing the expensive gear.
When I was there last (May?) my local contact was quite upset at the increase in crime -- almost all of it drug related. While NOT as big a problem in the Riviera Maya, at least according to him, it was there and getting worse. Sigh.
There are currently power struggles between drug cartels on the peninsula and there have been some targeted murders since spring. These plots were well-planned & organized to prevent injury to non-targeted family members of the victims, the citizenry at large, and tourists. The government response has been to beef up security. There are more local & state police on patrol, more federal military checkpoints on the highways and patrols on the waterways. Drug seizures & burnings and arrests are highly-publicized and they are quickly and vigorously prosecuting cases and punishing offenders. Known criminals are being watched by police.
Personally, I don't feel at any physical risk in Cancun, Cozumel or Playa -- the places I visit most often. And I have no qualms about recommending Cozumel, the Riviera Maya, the Costa Maya or the Routa Puuc/Merida as great vacation destinations.
The entire Yucatan has cenotes and many divers explore those located in Yucatan state as well as the ones in QRoo.
I resent your statement, and your tone, there's equal or worse violence in your country. This incident was far removed from the major tourist areas, and unless visitors to Mexico are not involved with dealings with drug traffickers, they should be able to enjoy a nice vacation.
In my country women don't put babies in the microwave to get back at their boyfriends, and our children do not shoot each other at school, I think you need to re-evaluate you post thoroughly...
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Originally Posted by diver 85
