Acapulco remains an unsafe destination

“Is it safe to travel to Acapulco?” Our answer continues to be no.

A year ago we wrote, “Acapulco, Mexico - No Go Zone, as the city continues to spiral.” We noted how the police department had been disarmed and violence in the streets was a regular occurrence.

In early-2019 a new police chief for Acapulco was named. He was a Mexican Navy captain, Gerardo Rosas Azamar. His mandate? Bring law and order to Acapulco. That didn’t happen. In mid-October, after only seven months, he resigned.

Why?

The continuing violence perpetrated by the Los Capuchinos and Los Viruz cartels, who operate with impunity within the city is the primary reason. They are responsible for widespread extortion and murders are a regular occurrence. Which is our primary reason for saying no to Acapulco.

How violent is Acapulco?

According to the Mexican government’s statistics the city’s population is approximately 800,000 which increases by 500,000 during periods of national holidays. While not a small city, it holds the ignoble distinction of having the second highest murder rate in Mexico, second only to Tijuana.

Who is the violence targeting?

Tourists are not being targeted, nor are expatriates, with the exception of those who are involved with criminal activity. The criminals are targeting their brethren, other criminals.

What is happening is that multiple criminal elements, cartels, are jostling for turf. They extort payments from businesses throughout the city. According to Mexican law enforcement, an estimated 3 million Mexican pesos (~$156,000) a week is collected for “protection” every week in Acapulco.

The cartels attack those who infringe upon their illicit drug business as evidenced by the early-2019, murder of a U.S. citizen, John Galton, who was targeted and murdered in his home. The attack was believed to be associated with Galton’s relationship with criminal elements, as the Mexican police found equipment to process drugs, glass pipes and marijuana plants at the home.

The likelihood of a tourist being in the wrong spot at the wrong time exists.

Three recent examples drive home this point.

In July 2019, gunmen walked into a restaurant/bar and killed five men and wounded six people at Mr. Bar, located directly across the street from five-star tourist hotels along the Costeral Miguel Aleman avenue.

Also in July 2019, an armed group crashed into high-end restaurant, Kookaburra, located int the Diamond Zone of Acapulco in a Jeep, then fired numerous shots in the air, of which only one hit the door of the restaurant. The alleged owner of the restaurant is Veronica Escobar Romo who was acting mayor of Acapulco in 2012.

In early-October 2019, truck and taxi drivers protested by shutting down main arterial roadways, demanding that that the city, state and federal law enforcement put an end to the violence and extortion in Acapulco. The day ended with vehicles being torched and the main roads grinding to a standstill.

Acapulco open for tourists?

We’ve given advice on how to manage your vacation in Mexico without being shot. We have also highlighted the risks in Mexico in general to kidnappings, the majority of which are express kidnappings focused on having the individual withdraw money from their bank accounts.

While we advise our readers to choose a different locale to enjoy your Mexico adventure, many say now is the time to visit.

The Guerrero state government and Mexican Ministry of Tourism both say, Acapulco is open for business and is a destination of choice.

Indeed the Mexican government has poured more than a billion US dollar investment into tourism infrastructure for a five-year redevelopment (2017-2022).

American Airlines has resumed non-stop service from Dallas (DFW) to Acapulco.

Cruise ships

Cruise ships continue to stop in the port, albeit at a much reduced frequency.

From January through September 2019, 20 cruise ships visited the port. They brought with them 27,971 passengers, averaging just under 1400 passengers per ship.

In its heyday, the port would accommodate two cruise ships at a time. Since the onset of near constant violence, that number has been on a steady decrease as cruise line risk managers find alternative ports of call more attractive. In 2017-18 30 ships visited Acapulco. In addition, CMV cruises announced that their ship, the Magellan was to home port in Acapulco. This year, no such announcement has been made, and a review of CMV’s website show only the Vasco de Gama visiting Acapulco on 05 November.

The winter cruise season started 04 October 2019 and was launched with the arrival of Oceania’s Regatta. This was followed by the aforementioned CMV Vasco de Gama and will be followed by two NCL ships, Norewegian Bliss and Norwegian Joy are scheduled for stops in November 2019. Oceania will have the Oceania Sirena stop twice in December.

Then, in 2020, ten ships are scheduled to arrive in Acapulco according to Crew-Center (see their chart below).

	Date	Ship	Cruise Line	ARV/DPT
	2-Feb-2020	Oceania Insignia	Oceania	08:00-18:00
	21-Feb-2020	Amadea	Phoenix	09:00-22:00
	7-Mar-2020	Seven Seas Splendor	Regent	08:00-17:00
	19-Mar-2020	Seven Seas Splendor	Regent	12:00-20:00
	26-Mar-2020	ms Europa	Hapag Lloyd	12:30 - 18:00
	28-May-2020	Seven Seas Mariner	Regent	08:00-17:00
	10-Jul-2020	Oceania Insignia	Oceania	13:00-21:00
	14-Oct-2020	Norwegian Joy	NCL	08:00-17:00
	3-Nov-2020	Seven Seas Mariner	Regent	10:00-19:00
	15-Dec-2020	Oceania Insignia	Oceania	08:00-17:00

Hotels

According to statistics released for 26 October 2019 (Saturday) Acapulco hotels were averaging 84.5 percent occupancy.

Yes many believe Acapulco is ready for you, the tourist.

Indeed, the Government of Mexico is advertising to federal employees a 3-night special travel package, for “Sol, Arena y Mar en Acapulco” (Sun, Sand and Sea in Acapulco) over Christmas in Acapulco for approximately 5000 Mexican pesos.

Visit Acapulco another day

In conclusion, we recommend that visitors give Acapulco a pass at this time. If you are visiting via a cruise ship port of call, you lower the risk of something untoward happening by availing yourself to the group excursion being offered by the cruise lines and their vetted third-party vendors.

If you are visiting Acapulco on your own and do not speak Spanish, we recommend you confine yourself to the tourist districts. Though the tourist districts are not immune to violence as evidence above, the risk is largely limited to being in the wrong place (something that could happen anywhere). Furthermore, we urge all to ask questions of your hosts before setting out. Theses residents of Acapulco have the area knowledge to keep you from harms way.

Acapulco and environs is a beautiful area.

This author and family has visited Acapulco, and we enjoyed every moment of the visit. We look forward to returning, at some future date when the revolving door at the police department stops spinning and the threat posed by the organized criminal elements has been addressed.

With the above, you have sufficient information to make a decision on whether travel to Acapulco is safe for you and yours.

Securely Travel is available to provide a travel briefing to you, your group or company on travel to Mexico, Acapulco or other locales.

U.S. Citizen in Acapulco needing assistance?

The Department of State and Embassy remind U.S. citizens to NOT travel to the state of Guerrero, including Acapulco due to crime.

Guerrero state – Level 4: Do Not Travel

Do not travel due to crime. Armed groups operate independently of the government in many areas of Guerrero. Members of these groups frequently maintain roadblocks and may use violence towards travelers.

U.S. government employees are prohibited from travel to the entire state of Guerrero, including Acapulco.

U.S. Consular Agency in Acapulco
From Mexico: 01-55-8526-2561
From the United States:1-844-528-6611
[email protected]

U.S. Embassy in Mexico City
From Mexico: 01-800-681-9374
From the United States: 1-844-528-6611
[email protected]