In a grim turn of events, a Canadian tourist has been fatally shot in Puerto Escondido, Mexico, making this the second violent demise of a tourist along Oaxaca’s southern coast within less than a week, according to local authorities.
The body of 27-year-old Victor Masson, hailing from Quebec, was discovered in a city area that typically sees less tourist traffic compared to the beachfront spots. As of now, both the duration of Masson’s visit to the city and the specifics regarding the conditions of his death remain undetermined, stated state prosecutors.
This occurrence comes on the heels of a machete assault on three Argentine tourists on May 12, which consequently resulted in the passing of 23-year-old Benjamin Gamond a few days later. This assault transpired at Laguna de Chacahua, a commonly frequented day trip destination from Puerto Escondido. Locals intervened and handed the attacker over to the police. The rationale behind this unwarranted assault is still under investigation.
Traditionally, Oaxaca has been perceived as a safer, more tranquil tourist destination in comparison to the more popular southeastern Mayan Riviera, infamous for its substantial drug cartel activities. Nonetheless, a recent spike in visitor-targeted violence has been observed in popular tourist destinations such as Playa del Carmen, Cancun, and Tulum.
Oaxaca had thus far managed to evade this trend until these recent incidents. Over the preceding two years, multiple tourists, including two Canadians at a Playa del Carmen hotel in January 2022, were victims of homicide in the Mayan Riviera. Authorities have insinuated that these Canadians were involved in organized criminal activities. In October 2021, two foreign tourists lost their lives to a shootout outside a well-known restaurant in Tulum, struck by wayward bullets.
Reacting to the escalating violence against tourists, the Mexican government deployed thousands of soldiers to safeguard popular coastal areas across the country. Nonetheless, the southern coast of Oaxaca witnessed minimal security presence. In view of the recent slayings in the region, it seems pertinent for the government to reconsider its security blueprint to ensure tourist safety in this part of Mexico.
