Grisly drug-related murders marring Acapulco’s natural beauty
Murder and mayhem are increasingly being reported in Acapulco, which has long been better known for its cliff divers and sweeping bay views.
The latest grisly killing involved a man’s chopped up body that was dumped in plastic garbage bags, according to police.
Acapulco has been hit by a brutal war between rival drug gangs who have staged shootouts in broad daylight near tourist areas. The impact on tourism so far has been limited, officials say.
It was not clear if the latest slaying was drug-related, according to Reuters.
A Reuters photographer in Acapulco said the body parts were discovered on a patch of wasteland after a dog tore open the black plastic bags.
In a separate incident, two Canadian tourists were in the hospital after being shot in the legs by unknown gunmen who fired at them as they drove by them on the main seafront avenue. Neither was seriously injured.
There were 190 drug gang-related deaths in Mexico in January, but only a handful less than a year ago. That happened despite an army crackdown on feuding cartels ordered by new President Felipe Calderon, Reuters said.
The Acapulco killing came nine months after the decapitated heads of two policemen were dumped on the wall of a government building — an apparent warning to authorities from violent drug dealers.
Following a surge in drug violence that saw more than 2,000 gang-related killings across Mexico last year, Mr Calderon after taking office late last year sent out troops to hunt down members of cartels.
Thousands of soldiers, working with federal and state police, are manning road blocks in the states of Michoacan, Baja California, Nuevo Leon and Guerrero, home to Acapulco.
Four major traffickers have been extradited to the United States to face trial here.
Acapulco has lost much of its 1950s glamour but remains popular with US students during spring break. No tourists have been killed in the violence, according to wire service reports.
Report by David Wilkening
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