Introduction
Playa del Carmen, a renowned class worldwide tourist destination in the Caribbean, faces a critical juncture similar to Acapulco’s struggles in the 1990s. The risk of transformation from a paradise to a crime-controlled territory is looming due to systematic extortion of local businesses, drug retail in main streets, and the increasingly visible presence of criminals posing as entrepreneurs.
Background and Context
Playa del Carmen, a magical destination I frequently visit for its exceptional diving and snorkeling opportunities, has witnessed exponential growth in real estate developments, hotels, and commercial areas to accommodate the immense tourist demand. However, this development has also brought along crime.
For years, narcomenudistas have taken over the Fifth Avenue and other city areas. The issue has escalated, turning into a direct threat to the local economy. Since 2018, with intensification from 2020 to 2023, the crime has progressed to systematically extort local businesses. Moreover, individuals posing as drug cartel members openly engage in illicit activities, driving around in armored vehicles, speaking with foreign accents, and flaunting extravagant spending.
Impact on Local Businesses
A local business owner shared this reality with me during a diving trip. He expressed the challenges he’s faced: “I had to make myself small and now go unnoticed,” he said, worried. “I had to close several of my locations due to the pressure of weekly quotas.”
Criminal groups impersonating drug cartel members extort even street vendors. The business owner had multiple locations but was forced to close them due to the relentless quotas. In some locations, criminals demanded that the owner hire one of their members as an employee.
During the pandemic, these criminals offered to “understand” the situation but demanded half-ownership of the business. The owner had to cover all costs while the criminals worked without contributing.
A Nationwide Issue
Playa del Carmen’s situation is not isolated but reflects a broader national issue. Crime is taking control of the formal economy in tourist destinations like Playa del Carmen and even in Mexico City, the country’s political and economic heart.
In a recent Associated Press article, reporter Fabiola Sánchez interviewed business owners extorted in Mexico City, who had to close their businesses, just like my contact in Playa del Carmen.
According to the Confederation of Mexican Employers’ Organizations, 32 people become victims daily, resulting in economic losses of 26 billion pesos.
Call for Integrated Response
The situation demands a comprehensive response: enhanced coordination among federal, state, and municipal authorities; an effective judicial system to process these crimes; and a financial intelligence strategy to dismantle extortion networks.
Without these measures, Playa del Carmen risks following Acapulco’s path—from a tourism paradise to a crime-controlled territory, forcing businesses to “make themselves small.”
Key Questions and Answers
- What is the current situation in Playa del Carmen? Playa del Carmen, a world-class tourist destination, faces a critical juncture due to systematic extortion, drug retail in main streets, and criminals posing as entrepreneurs.
- How has this affected local businesses? Local business owners have been forced to close locations, hire criminals as employees, and even give up half-ownership of their businesses to extortionists.
- Is this issue limited to Playa del Carmen? No, it’s a nationwide problem affecting tourist destinations and even the capital, Mexico City.
- What is required to address this situation? Enhanced coordination among authorities, an effective judicial system, and a financial intelligence strategy to dismantle extortion networks are necessary.
