Playa Del Carmen Ramping Up Security For A Peaceful Christmas, Officials Say

All domestic and foreign visitors who choose Playa del Carmen to vacation this Christmas season will be able to enjoy a peaceful stay, assured the Municipal President of Solidaridad, Lili Campos Miranda.

In pursuit of this goal, municipal authorities will conduct a crucial security operation in collaboration with various government levels, including the federal government.

Lili Campos underscored this during a meeting with South Korean authorities, assuring them that all their citizens visiting Playa del Carmen this season will receive excellent care.

“I have met with South Korean consular authorities. We address security issues to safeguard the tourists who visit us this Christmas. I thank Ambassador Taewan Huh and Consul Young Kee Bae for their visit,” said the municipal president.

It should be noted that Playa del Carmen was one of the 50 most dangerous cities in Mexico at the beginning of this term. And now it has managed to get off this list. This is thanks to the investments and strategies that have been implemented in terms of security.

More patrol cars have been purchased, more police officers have been trained to monitor the streets, video surveillance cameras have been installed, and the city’s entry filters have been improved. Added to this are the arrests made by Solidaridad’s Public Security Secretariat.

For all these reasons, the government of Lili Campos assures national and international tourists that they will be able to spend a peaceful and quiet Christmas season in Playa del Carmen.

Related: Latest shooting in Cancun on December 13 leaves Canadian citizen dead

Shooting in Playa del Carmen in June 2023

Playa del Carmen, a renowned tropical paradise and a favorite tourist destination, has recently experienced a surge in criminal activities, including shootings, that have raised concerns, especially among tourists. In recent years, the city has witnessed several violent incidents, challenging its reputation as a serene vacation spot.

For instance, in June 2023 there were reports of shootings in popular areas like Fifth Avenue, a central location in Playa del Carmen. In one incident, an armed man was recorded fleeing a local restaurant after a shooting, although fortunately, there were no casualties. In another event, a man with a criminal record associated with narcotics was shot and killed following an altercation, and two tourists were injured in the crossfire near a business previously shut down for drug trafficking​​.

Further emphasizing the safety concerns, a separate incident involved a criminal vehicle from Cancun being intercepted in Riviera Maya by Playa del Carmen police. This led to a pursuit along the Riviera Maya federal highway, with reports of gunfire exchanged between the police and the criminals, though these reports were not confirmed by the police. Eventually, at least two people were taken into custody​.

​Mexican Officials Also Confirm Security Reinforcement In Cancun Area Ahead Of Christmas

Julio César Gómez, the Secretary of Security, has announced that a security operation will be launched in Quintana Roo starting December 11 and concluding on January 7, following the Three Kings Day festivities. According to the Secretary, this initiative will see the deployment of approximately 600 officers from Quintana Roo’s Secretariat of Citizen Security (SSC). These officers will be strategically positioned across the region to bolster security measures.