The U.S. government has issued a security alert for Quintana Roo due to the recent spate of violence in the state following the recent attacks at the Xcaret hotel in the Riviera Maya, where two Canadians died.
Mexico News Daily is reporting that the U.S. Consulate General in Mérida issued the alert, which highlighted tourist hotspots for their criminal activity. “In light of recent security incidents and criminal activity in popular tourist destinations including Cancún, Playa Del Carmen, and Tulum, U.S. citizens are reminded to exercise increased caution when traveling to the state of Quintana Roo.”
The warning instructed travelers to pay attention to local news, to avoid crowds, to be aware of their surroundings, to review their personal security plans, to follow directions from local officials, and to call the U.S. Consulate or Embassy for assistance or to call 911 in case of an emergency.
CTV News Canada reported that a prosecutor in Mexico said Tuesday the wounding of one Canadian woman and the killing of two Canadian men last Friday at the Hotel Xcaret resort, south of Playa del Carmen was related to criminal activity.
The incident was the fourth beachfront shooting in the state since last October when gunfire left two tourists dead in Tulum. Another incident saw two drug dealers shot and killed on a beach in Puerto Morelos in November.
Additionally, a security threat was issued in December after a shooting incident on the beach at the Oasis Palm resort. Five men in military uniforms converged on a resort billed as family-friendly and fired about 20 shots, according to reports, before abandoning their jet skis, changing into civilian clothes, and fleeing, police said.
