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Subscribe to RSSPublished at 10:00 p.m. ET -- The tourism world turned its eyes on Mexico after six Spanish women were raped by masked gunmen during a vacation in the long-troubled Pacific coast resort of Acapulco.
While there has been talk of reviving the golden era of the '40s and '50s, international tourists have long steered away from Acapulco, even before the drug violence of recent years, as the city fell into disrepair and glitzier Cancun and Los Cabos gained favor.
The question now is whether the attack will affect other resorts as Mexico prepares for its annual spring break onslaught and peak season.
The hours-long assault was carried out by a gang of masked gunmen who burst into the beachfront home before dawn on Monday and tied up the six men inside, then raped the women. A seventh Mexican woman was unharmed.
"We are really sorry about what happened with the Spanish tourists because ... it is something that affects Mexico's image," said Juan Carlos Gonzalez, tourism secretary of Quintana Roo, the Caribbean coast state where Cancun is located and which hosted about 17 million tourists last year.
But, he added, "we are definitely not as contaminated with the crime issue as other states in Mexico."
Acapulco barely registers on U.S. tourists' radar anymore, said Kathy Gerhardt, a spokeswoman for Travel Leaders, a network of independently owned and operated travel agencies in the U.S.
"Those individuals trying to lump Acapulco into the list of top Mexico destinations for U.S. travelers are simply misinformed," she said.
In a recent survey of over 1,000 travel agency owners, managers and agents, "not a single individual chose Acapulco as a top international destination they are booking for their clients," Gerhardt said.
"We do not see any spillover effect," she added, for areas like Cancun, which Travel Leaders lists as the No. 2 foreign destination for U.S. travelers, after Caribbean island cruises.
From a 2009 shootout that killed 18 near Acapulco's fabled Flamingo Hotel to this week's attack, the resort once celebrated in Frank Sinatra songs and Elvis Presley movies has been the scene of body dumpings, beheadings and taxi-driver killings as gangs vie for drug transport routes once controlled by the now-decimated Beltran Leyva cartel.
Oceania and Regent Seven Seas Cruises — some of the last lines making port calls in Acapulco — canceled those in December, before the latest attack.
An estimated 50,000 Spaniards travel to Mexico each year, but mostly to the Caribbean coast, not Acapulco. Mexicans and Spaniards living in Mexico like the victims, however, flock to Acapulco during Easter week and other long holiday weekends, such as Monday, when the country celebrated its Constitution Day.
Local tourists believe they can distinguish unsafe areas of the city, and even foreign travel warnings say it's safe for those who don't wander far from the beach.
"For us, this is an incredibly safe zone," said Rafael Gallego Nadal, president of the Spanish Confederation of Travel Agencies. "This was a terrible attack, but it's not the first time that something bad has happened in that part of Mexico."
He said there has been no talk of travel agencies reducing package tour prices.
Some press reports Wednesday suggested a drug purchase could have played a role in Monday's rapes, but Marcos Juarez, the chief investigator for Guerrero state prosecutors, said there was no evidence of that.
Still, the attack exposed a dangerous security situation in areas that had been considered safe, such as the laid-back stretch of beach dotted with restaurants, small hotels and homes southeast of the city's center, where the Spaniards had rented a villa.
The five attackers held the group at gunpoint, tying up the six men with phone cords and bathing suit straps, then raping the six women over a three-hour period, authorities said.
The manager of a hotel near the house said he heard shouting just after midnight Monday, but did nothing because he felt it would be too dangerous. The man did not want to give his name for safety reasons.
It was unclear whether the victims had been targeted because of their nationality.
Guerrero state Attorney General Martha Garzon told local media that the attackers' motive was robbery and that they drank mescal they found at the house. The Mexican woman, who is married to one of the Spaniards, "was saved by the fact that she is Mexican," Garzon said.
"She says she identified herself to the (attackers) and asked not to be raped, and they told her that she had passed the test by being Mexican and they didn't touch her," Garzon told Radio Formula.
While some Mexicans harbor resentment against Spaniards dating to colonial times, the victims may have been targeted for other reasons, such as appearance or possessions.
Mayor Luis Walton rushed to apologize Wednesday for his comment the day before that "this happens everywhere in the world, not just in Acapulco or in Mexico."
"Of course, this worries us and we don't want anything like this to happen in Acapulco or anywhere else in the world," he said. "We know this is going to affect our tourism."
Billionaire business magnate Carlos Slim, ranked by Forbes magazine as the world's richest man, proposed a plan last year to rescue Acapulco by building parks and recreational centers there.
Still, it would be a long way from the city's heyday, when Elizabeth Taylor was married in Acapulco, John F. and Jackie Kennedy spent their honeymoon there and Howard Hughes hid out in a suite at the Princess Hotel, a pyramid-shaped icon in the exclusive Punta Diamante, or Diamond Point.
Gallego said it's important for authorities to make arrests soon to prove that those responsible will be punished. State prosecutor Garzon said authorities have strong evidence leading to the culprits.
Given the sheer volume of visitors to such popular destinations as the Caribbean Riviera Maya south of Cancun, Gonzalez said, "we certainly could have some cancellations. But given the number of Spanish tourists, it would not be significant."
As if to illustrate the continuous danger in Guerrero, state authorities announced Wednesday that armed men ambushed and killed nine police officers a day earlier. The attack was in the town of Tepoxtepect, near the border with Michoacan state, an area known for drug trafficking.
Related:
Masked men burst into vacation home, rape six Spanish tourists in Acapulco, Mexican officials say
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Much of Mexico is not just lawless, but, worst than that the criminals are part of one of the several supposed law enforcement agencies or military groups. I worry about my friends that go to Mexico and say "oh, it is safe where I go".
That's what happens in a corrupt kleptocracy where the criminals are in control and there is a fear that the police, who are perceived as part of that corrupt system, may rat you out!
Time to totally boycott Mexico. Why would anyone in their right mind allow their kids to go there on spring break? Why would any adult in their right mind go there? Spend your vacation dollars at home.
Maybe it is time to limit the amount of money that can be sent to Mexico from our side of the border. How about limit it to one tenth of the money you can prove that you earned and paid American taxes on. Western Union would probably go broke though.
How in the World will they "find the rapists" when they can't find the drug cartels in their backyard ?
Wait a minute....if they do "find A rapist" it will be quicker than the State Department and the FBI finding out who attacked the Libyan Consulate.
There is no wind in Texas. It's just mexico sucking...
In Mexico it is not against the law to have sex with your sisters. Maybe they thought it was just family.
With all the known violence, corruption, and instability down there, all tourists should know the risk! Sorry about what happened to those women, but why should this surprise anybody?
How many of these scum bags sneak across the border, im sure its a lot.
hmmm... the criminals had guns- shocker. Wake up America, this is what we are heading towards.
Great place to vacation......if your stupid!
(Ya, I know "we just go to the resorts". The bad guys never go there.)
And in other news, Obama wants to outlaw guns in America. People aren't allowed to have weapons in Mexico for protection.
Mexico, like many of the countries south of our border, has long had trouble enforcing the law. They (the police) aren't anywhere near as well armed or well trained to deal with many of the criminal organizations they face. Then there is that whole corruption thing that makes their law enforcement even more exploitable.
My sympathies are with the Spaniards who have suffered this attack.
Was in Acapulco in 2008 and even then the area had started to descend into a nightmare. Just after we left some Federalis tried to go after a drug gang and the news reported the Federalis getting killed with an anti-aircraft gun mounted on the back of a pick-up at 2000 yards range. President Obama would like you to believe the gang picked up this Russian AA gun in the United States at a gun show. The truth is they just picked it up from Central America, probably from his buddy Hugo Chavez.
I never wanted to go to Mexico but have been there twice and I'm am never going back. The rest of America should place Mexico on permanent no vacation status. They hate most American's and will lie, cheat, and steal from you just for sport...is that a vacation or what? Their airlines are a total joke and I have personally witnessed the flight crews drinking beer during flights to Cabo San Lucas. That is right Pilot, Co-pilot, and flight engineer. You should have endured the landing we did. Most of the passengers thought we were all going to die. It seems the Pilot and fight engineer traded seats for the landing. For those who are in the know it was a PIO with lots of bouncing. Hit so hard thought we would collapse the main gear. We stopped just short of the end of the runway and had to be pushed back to turn around for the terminal.
The only way I would go back is a part of a military force or humanitarian mission. It is no wonder so many people are trying to cross the boarder to America to survive.
Let Piers Morgan and the group from the Brady group give them a good scolding and they'd put the fear of God into them. Then we can get the Indonesian in charge O'bummer to go shoot skeet with them. I've live on the Az./Mexico border all my life and the only difference between Mexico and a sewer is a sewer has a valve to shut it off. And with just a little luck only 10% more of the 12 million illegals will follow this lead and get into the American jail system. It's only like what 26% of the prison pop. that's Mexican now? And I'll be called a racist but we have to keep at least 50% of our jails for the black thugs. But, when the world is going crazy over what a great role model Ray Lewis is what is to be expected. And, both groups always talking about being their babies daddy. Men having 10 to 20 babies by the same number of different women. Within 20 years the USA will be requiring a blood test for every child, just so brothers and sisters are not having kids with each other. Want people like me to stop saying things about our great minorities, then start acting like civilized people. Prove me wrong, just try. Look at the geography of where people live, where the major crimes occur and where the major unwed are and hate to tell ya but they all overlap with our minority populations. And, when the 12 million illegals don't have to hide out anymore the two minority cultures will be in competition to see who can turn out the most criminals. News people start doing your job and stop sugar coating the stats and trying to say it's bias courts and non caring country not throwing enough money at the problem. 1863-2013 seems like you all have had enough time to get your act together and join the rest of us in a civil world. You guys better hurry or the ragheads will get ahead of you as crime #1 races. I don't make the rules of the game, I just call balls and strikes.
My heart goes out to the women who were raped as well as to the men who had to endure the spectacle of watching slug gut things rape their wives right in front of them!!! As a husband and father I cannot fathom the rage and anger that would be sparked in my soul with something like this happening to my wife or daughter by anyone, but right in front of me, that would be a fire that would never go out!
I pray that the women have the worst of this behind them and are not infected with AIDS,HEP or a myriad of STD's and can find peace. I also pray that their husbands can find peace as well and not let their lives be consumed with bitterness and rage, though it will take time with that one I am sure, it wold be years/decades if ever for me to get over something like this and that is a fact!
Two statements in this article sum up everything wrong with Mexico:
"we are definitely not as contaminated with the crime issue as other states in Mexico."
Mexicans have very low expectations of their lives and their government and as a result do not hold themselves or their officials accountable.
"The manager of a hotel near the house said he heard shouting just after midnight Monday, but did nothing because he felt it would be too dangerous. The man did not want to give his name for safety reasons."
Corruptions reigns. Until the corruption of officials, especially the police forces, can be erradicated citizens will not report or help prevent these sorts of crimes.
The actual headline should be... "Acapulco police wander around looking busy, waiting for everyone to forget what happened."
Likely they have a perp or informant in their own ranks.
@ stopfreeloaders, post 1.7
Don't be surprised when these rapist turn up in your town. The President along with many of our Mayors want as many illegal's as possible to come to the United States of America so we can start possible collect taxes from them. What they don't realize is illegal's don't pay taxes and the rich/politicians don't either. Screw the American worker! The only ones that prosper off of illegals are the people that can afford to pay them. One illegal + no taxes = a rich mans/politicians dream.
You couldn't pay me to travel to Mexico.
"We are really sorry about what happened with the Spanish tourists because ... it is something that affects Mexico's image," said Juan Carlos Gonzalez
Sorry there, Juan, but I'm afraid that image ship sailed long ago. Actually, I'm not sure it was ever docked near that cesspool you refer to as Meh-hee-co.
@Confussed. Every time you or I or an illegal buy something a tax is paid.
This is so encouraging to hear...
I'm sure they don't have to look far to find the gunmen. They could probably check their buddy lists or look in their own police departments.
MMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMm smells realy bad.That whole part of the world.
Guns were used in the commission of this crime? What kind of guns? Whatever kind of guns they used, Mexico needs tougher laws to keep those guns off the streets and out of the hands of the wrong people. They could start with registration and then, at a later date, confiscate all the guns that had been registered. That would surely prevent crimes like this in the future.
In fact, I think this is such a great idea, we should do the same here! We could completely eliminate gun violence and crime!
(And I'd be a complete dope if this weren't facetious.)
Hey Dave... are you freakin’ nuts? Did you miss what freakin’ actually happened?
Jeezus, moron, pull your head out of your foxHole.
Hey Aus10, do you know the meaning of facetious? Look it up, it may enlighten you.
aus10....are you really that gullible or have you never seen sarcasm in print form?
Then we can confiscate the police's guns too!
And the military's!
Mexico will be completely crime free!
nevermind just looked up facetious
Good one Dave, not many people can fathom dry humor.
Oh for sure. The guns were probably some of those supplied by Barack Obama & Eric Holder as part of Fast & Furious!!
Sad. And in a very catholic land, too!
Ummm, this story really is not about guns....but some people have to turn it into one
the guns were provided by the AG and Prez from fast and furious -- which they've never answered for because the lapdogs aren't asking them too.
How very sincere.
I'm sure that they are REALLY sorry! After all, their tourism $$ are going down the drain! As if Mexico's image could get worse.. Drug cartels bringing their crimes up and into our American border towns, Gang bull@!$%# forcing their way into our cities? OH YEAH!! Their IMAGE is growing every moment to we Tourists! Never mind all the girls AND boys who end up in shallow graves, never to be seen again. usually after being treated so KINDLY (torture, butning, acid baths,etc) by the Tourism industry! I used to go with my extended family to tourist areas, beaches etc., and I felt safe..No more..I, for one, will now choose to see America first! We have beaches, fine hotels, good service, etc...... AND, I still (though no one knows for how much longer) carry a legal firearm, which I've never used or needed to. Good Luck, Apaculpo.. I for one will NEVER venture into Mexico again!
It seems to me Acapulco officials and tourism is more concerned with tourism & $ than catching this gang of human trash! I wouldn't want to take my wife or daughter there until I had heard how they have dealt with this gang. This is especially disturbing that they are comparing their crime rate with other places. Rape is the worst crime and I pray that they will see that in a civilized world, Acapulco should crack down, even if it is just to protect their $ interest. Thoughts & prayers go out to the victims & their families.
Latest news: They've already rounded up 2,456 suspects.
the "usual suspects..."
Half of mexico is some criminal element. Consider how many of the 11 million illegal invaders our elected officials failed in their duties to throw out are of the same ilk.
More like 20-30 million invaders, popping out anchor babies at 400,000 per year. Kind of adds up exponentially to our eventual doom, but the press keeps the numbers low "..so as not to build resentment against Hispanics".
Hey Mexico,
you can stop looking for these guys. I hear they are in the US
....waiting on "A Path to Citizenship"-tm
Viva La Raza!
LOL from the travel section on MSNBC...
Traveling to Mexico? Violent crimes uncommon in tourist areas, risk expert says
I would say this expert is umm ..
"We are really sorry about what happened with the Spanish tourists because ... it is something that affects Mexico's image," said Juan Carlos Gonzalez...”
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Yeah... not to mention what it did to the 6 women, Juan-baby...
What a freakin’ idiot and not to mention, the state of mexican justice!!! This is how serious these reprobates view the rape of women - tourist or native. WTF is wrong with mexico and it’s primitive culture? Have they NOT been paying attention to what’s happening in the world? Do they NOT educate their people?
Good god, write this country off until it grows up.
You can't affect Mexico's image any worse than by showing your LACK of compassion, Juan. Who cares about your tourism and image? What about these women, their male friends, the lack of humanity in this act, and the lack of YOUR humanity.
Aus10 - No, they don't educate their people to do anything more than TAKE what they WANT, when they want it, as much as they can get!!! Including Juan, wanting more tourist dollars!
Colorado (the most beautiful state) - Exactly what the illegals do once they get over here!
Mexico should change it's national slogan to "Come to our country and get raped and murdered."
Look in Texas...path to immigration!
Mexico still has tourists? It might have been slightly safer to vacation in Egypt.
Probably, since there have been no major incidents since Luxor (which was pretty bad...)
Mexico is a war zone...which is exactly what happens when you remove the gun ownership rights of law-abiding citizens. The criminals still have them and have no reason to fear opposition to their violent attacks.
It's exactly the type of thing we would have here in the United States if some of these crazy gun-control advocates get their way. Don't believe me...what do you think would happen in a country with 1.5 million gang members? Especially when 550,000 of those gang members are illegal immigrants from Mexico.
Countries with low violent crime rates experience higher violent crime rates after gun bans. Countries with high violent crime rates experience even higher violent crime rates after gun bans. It's true all over the world, from U.S. cities to Mexico to Brazil to England and beyond. But with our 2nd Amendment our law-abiding citizens have the freedom and liberty to oppose a tyrannical government, gang members, terrorists, and foreign invaders. We can't become the next Mexico or the next Nazi Germany...we must remain the United States Of America...land of the free and home of the brave.
Jeffersonian3 You are Such an INCREDIBLE IDIOT! Where did you get your supposed information about "550,000 gang members" being illegal immigrants from Mexico? You incompetent, ignorant, RACIST PIG! What...Did you travel the ENTIRE country conducting a national survey, background check and personal interview, and/or ID card inspection...so as to make such a frivulos, outrageous, inflamatory, racist ass-umption as that? Or did you just jump to that RACIST conclusion All by your "Brilliant" little self?
palomino...
Do a little research. Apparently you will be quite surprised by what you find. FBI stats on gangs are a good place to search. You might want to start here: http://www.judicialwatch.org/blog/2009/01/illegal-immigrant-gangs-commit-most-u-s-crime/
Racist? And you're complaining about Jeffersonian being an "INCREDIBLE IDIOT!"
To be fair, Jeffersonian3s claims do sound like they were ripped from the talking points of a right-wing radio show. And many of those pundits have a habit of mixing truth in with outright fabrication to make an outrageous claim sound credible.
So, maybe the statistic of illegal immigrant gang members has some truth to it (I haven't checked the link to see if the numbers are being skewed in some way). But to say that "countries with high violent crime rates experience even higher violent crime rates after gun bans"... c'mon, where's your evidence for THAT? Go ahead, take your time. I'm sure I'll be able to counter whatever you can come up with.
Jeffersonian. Do you and people like you even understand english? The term "gun control" refers to controlling who can buy and own weapons. It is NOT interchangeable with "gun ban". Yes, there are is a far-left minority that favors a ban. Likewise there is a far-right minority that wants no restrictions at all. I'm a liberal. I have no problem with responsible gun ownership. I know many other liberals who feel the same and in fact own guns themselves. I and they are the majority. Why do you only choose to listen to the minority?
One point about gangs. They don't participate in surveys.
Why would anyone go to Mexico for a vacation? If you got rid of all the Mexicans and moved in some nice Norse people it would be a great place. Check out Mel Gibsons movie Get The Gringo thats the real Mexico
Johntttt3-16 Why would anyone go to Mexico for a vacation?
Why the hell NOT!!! You can get away from the 11 trillion illegals that are here in this country. Finally a real vacation. I vacationed once in Chicago, I feel safer in Mexico.
Now can we ask Mexico, Hows it looking down there.... Mexico reply--- We don't want this to hurt our image, but we don't really have any way of stopping it so please come and visit us. Mean while, Drug cartels own all resorts and keep them neat and clean for tourists to make them more money. Sooner or later people are going to realize only way to take care of cartel problem is if they stand up and start killing everyone they know associated with the cartel. Could you imagine more mexicans than the cartel overpowering them, what a thought there.....
The Cartels are already killing us on American soil! Mara Salvatruches? THEY scare me.. And my daughter lives just blocks from the border! They will have WEAPONS, WHENEVER! They deal in them!! And yet Nappy and the POTUS keep trying to disarm law abiding citizens! What a farce our Government has become!
I was just talking to a guy that lives in Mexico and he was saying that the media portrays the country falsely and true I'm sure it's probably no worse than it is in the states stuff like this just makes it worse. Forget your humanity hunt them down and execute them. Set an example.
Why do people outside of Mexico still go there!?! Wake up folks! Their police and military can't protect you and may in fact contribute to the terror.
Mexico was a nice, inexpensive place for a travel destination years ago. It's now a third world rat hole.
....it's getting to be almost as bad as Miami
10,000 bulldozers and scrape it clean
I haven't been to Mexico in a very long time. There are areas that are beautiful. Most of the people are friendly and gracious. It is sad that the drug traffic has so damaged the country. The corruption of police and government officials does not help. The extreme poverty of many of the people also contributes to the sense of hopelessness so many feel. If your government is corrupt and your future is without hope, what can you do to change anything? Criminality grows and those who resist are killed. It is a country being controlled by criminals. Are there any solutions?
yea underemployed,let the garbage into the U.S. SO THEY CAN DO THE CRIMES TO THE AMERICANS,i mean this what obame and his liberal cronies want
You need to learn how to spell. Even your name is misspelt... Obame ? Who's that ?
Mexico if a dump and corrupt. I wouldn't send my worst enemy to Mexico.
Visit the USA.. except Chicago or California.
I have friends who are Mexican living in California and they are afraid to visit their small villages in Mexico. Forget Mexico for now it's a war zone.
nowhere in mexico is safe,law enforcement,military and the government are all corrupt just like obame and his admiistration,i mean obame lets all of the garbage in america and he allows the cartels of mexico to have our automatic weapons but wants to take all of the law biding citizens rights away. so if i was anone mexican i would never go to mexico and when the tourest stop spending money in the garbage country of mexico then maybe the mexican government,law enforcement,and military wont be so corrupt.just think stupid americans who voted for obame,obame is allowing the mexican garbage into this country so they can possibly rape and hurt americans
This problem got worse after President Reagan did the amnesty thing, remember? The Mexicans figured if a Republican President will give amnesty, then we'll just keep on coming and at some time there will be another amnesty.
Don't forget: PRESIDENT REAGAN STARTED THIS WITH AMNESTY!!!
@ i agree w soildier:
You need to get out of your trailer and go to school, maybe try for a GED or something ! Your rant about our president makes no sense and is torture to read, and makes you sound like the idiot that you are.. If you have no grasp of basic grammar and can't write a full sentence, don't bother, ok ?
Fux Mexsicko an the Obama they rode in on.
Right Clown. G. Bush waited for them at the Border and handed them a Green Card that said Welcome to Bushland. You have your Politics skewed as usual. Say how is that Republican Philosophy working, you know, the one that says you can "wish away rapists and pregnancy"? Get over it Pal. You People lost and you are going to lose the next 16 years. The Gen X and Gen Y will see to it.
well said, Lazaro! People have short memories when it comes to Bush and his Amnesty proposals for illegals - or Reagan and his Amnesty in the eighties which opened the floodgates...
....Welcome to Los Estados Unidos!
Lazaro.. Right, Gen Y and Gen X wil guarantee it.. Do you ever work with these youngsters? They're MOSTLY highly educated, but dumber than @!$%#e! I've seen them at work, and they refuse to take responsibility for their mistakes, but whine and blame anyone or anything else than themselves. Yeah right.. They sure are fit to determine MY retirement benes, changes to our Constitution, the ability to stand up for themselves, and rule this country. Mexico isn't looking so bad. At least I will be able to attempt to protect myself.. I'll die, but what the hell? To Your X and Y'ers, what the hell.. Just one less old fart..