Roadblocks to the mountains, border and jungle
RR | Cancun | August 21, 2024
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RELATED TOPICS: Bernardo Cueto Riestra, Bonampak, Cancun, Chiapas, Guatemala, Tabasco, Yaxchilan
Tourist service providers in the southern state of Chiapas have seen a drastic decrease in the number of tourists arriving, due to constant roadblocks, extortion by criminal groups and intimidation on stretches of road to towns in the mountains, border and jungle of this state.
According to the testimony of one of them with four decades in the sector, due to the situation of violence and insecurity currently experienced in these areas, they have been forced to go through Tabasco and Guatemala to reach some places in the Chiapas territory, and in other cases divert tourists to destinations in Guatemala or the states of Yucatan and Quintana Roo.
“The situation on the southern border road, which runs from Lagos de Montebello to Chankala, has also been affected. In fact, tourism has dropped significantly because you have to pay fees to get there, even tourist cars in the Bonampak and Yaxchilan areas,” said the guide.
He explained that the tourism agency he works with stopped offering services to the towns in the emblematic Lacandon Jungle, where he estimated that the number of visitors has plummeted by up to 90 percent. “Many groups are no longer going to Chiapas because the European agencies realize that it is a problem, so the routes are being shortened,” he stressed.
He added that during the patrols they have observed the presence of small criminal groups that set up roadblocks taking advantage of the confusion that exists due to the presence of gangs that are fighting for control of territories and routes for drug, migrant and arms trafficking.
As reported by REPORTUR.mx, Quintana Roo’s tourism secretary, Bernardo Cueto Riestra, recently admitted that work must be done on the security of destinations to generate a perception of security in the tourist markets, as they continue with alert number two from the United States warning their fellow citizens of the dangers in the Mexican Caribbean. (QRoo: US Travel alert is limited to outside of tourist areas).
