Cancun is considered one of the 50 most dangerous cities in the world at 40th place, according to a Mexican nongovernmental organization’s study. The violence in the region could actually be worse than the figures describe.
The ranking by Seguridad, Justicia y Paz is based primarily on the murder rate per 100,000 residents. The findings were first published by NotiCaribe. Cancun saw 337 murders with a population of 915,432, making for a murder rate of 36.81. However, the study does not reveal if the figures are only for the city proper or includes the surrounding violent hotspots like Playa Del Carmen and others.
The ranking reflects the violent turf war in the tourist hotspot which makes international headlines. The violence is tied to the control of drug distribution and trafficking routes into Mexico. One recent cartel assassination took place inside a well-known resort in the Mayan Riviera.
According to local news reports during the first three months of the year, Cancun alone saw at least 30 cartel-related murders. Most recently, a man and a young girl sustained gunshot injuries during an attack, NotiCaribe reported. The man was standing outside his home when suspected hitmen fired multiple shots. No arrests have been made in the case.
The U.S. Department of State previously warned travelers about the dangers of visiting Mexico. For Cancun, consular officials claim that there are no travel restrictions to the state of Quintana Roo, however, they warn “criminal activity and violence may occur throughout the state.”
The study finds that the top-eight ranked cities are in Mexico, with St. Louis, Missouri, and Kingston, Jamaica rounding out the 10, respectively. The only cities listed outside of the Western Hemisphere are Durban (35th) and Johannesburg (48th) in South Africa.
Luisana Moreno is a contributing writer for Breitbart Texas.
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