Gangs began to block tourists’ access to the famous pyramids – part of Mexico’s excursion routes to the ruins of the ancient Mayan civilization may be stopped due to “showdowns” of competing drug cartels. So far, neither tourists nor guides have been “handed out”, but those who have experienced this encounter once do not want to visit this route – and in the case of tourists, the country – again.
According to the Mexican press, one of the routes to the ancient city of Yashchilan has already been closed. The constant presence of armed men there caused the fact that guides simply refused to conduct tours in this area.
The most famous archeological zone of Lagartero is also under threat. There, several groups of tourists got into the roadblocks of one of the cartels, which controls the supply of drugs – exactly on the way to the Mayan pyramids. “Tourists are forced to show their documents and provide their phone to check the information stored in it. They check if you’re not from this area, they look at your contact list to see if you belong to another gang,” said one of the guides. At the same time, there is always a risk that the controller will not like something. Or that another gang will appear and there will be a shooting.
Local residents are already in a panic – they rightly believe that rampant banditry will scare away tourists en masse. And this will deprive local small businesses of a significant part of their earnings. But no action has been taken yet.