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Security on Cancun beaches was increased recently due to a fight that occurred between street vendors in front of tourists who were on a Hotel Zone beach. The fight took place in the area of the Crown Paradise hotel at 10:00 in the morning and was caught on hotel video cameras. In the video, you can see two men attacking another man, hitting and kicking him while he is lying on the ground.
The Assailants
Initially, it was thought that the assailants were drug traffickers attacking the man over a territorial dispute. But later on, it was determined by authorities that the attack was due to an argument between vendors. Following the release of the video, it was still unclear at the time whether the assailants were taken into custody.
Increased Security
While the status of the two men seen beating the other man is still unknown, we do know that the security presence in the area has increased following the incident. Security officers from both the Municipal Secretariat of Public Security and Traffic of Benito Juárez and the Secretariat of the Navy were deployed to tour several beaches after the fight took place. Beaches that were being monitored following the event include Playa Langosta, Playa Tortugas, Playa Gaviota Azul, and Playa Delfines.
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Street And Beach Vendors In Cancun
Vendors on the streets and beaches of Cancun are a familiar sight, often crowding popular tourist areas to try to sell their wares. Officials in recent months have been cracking down on illegal vendors that do not have the proper licensing, forcing them to stop operating. A large number of vendors typically still remain, though, competing with each other for sales, but it is unclear if this is what led to the fight.
Past Vendor Fights
An even more disturbing incident took place in Cancun last spring when in May, a tourist reported that a vendor threatened them at gunpoint. Multiple reports of the incident were made, but the entire story was still unclear at the time. Furthermore, despite the fact that the Tourist Police and National Guard set up a perimeter to locate the vendor, the vendor was not found. But more than 50 other vendors were arrested for various other reasons allegedly relating to physical and verbal abuse of tourists.
Security in Cancun
It’s not uncommon to see areas of the Cancun Hotel Zone, the beaches, and the downtown area being monitored by various security elements. In addition to municipal police officers, the military is also often used to help maintain security in the popular tourist city. As a result of the consistent security presence, it is very uncommon for tourists visiting Cancun to be affected by local crime.
Other Security Operations Being Implemented
In addition to enhancing security in busy tourist areas in Cancun, especially during the busy seasons, officials are enhancing security on transportation too. Officials explained that “other operations such as Safe Passenger are deployed to ensure that public transport users have uninterrupted journeys to their destinations.” This is likely due to the ongoing battle between Uber and taxi drivers that has led to multiple incidents over the last month or so.
Cancun is a city like any other that has its problems despite the fact that it is viewed as a paradisiacal vacation destination. These problems rarely affect tourists in a violent way and typically take place away from tourist areas due to the higher level of security in these areas. When something does happen on the beaches or in the Hotel Zone, the situation is usually handled very quickly, and tourists are able to continue enjoying their vacations.
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