Due to the insecurity in the region, tourism service providers from France, England, Belgium, and Mexico suspended their tours as they assured that it is not worth risking tourists in that area.
Tourist companies from France, England, Belgium and Mexico , which move tourists to the Lacandona Jungle, announced that they will stop visiting the area, given the escalation of violence between the Sinaloa Cartel and the Jalisco Nueva Generación Cartel , which for three months has maintained the access control to roads and communities in the municipality of Ocosingo , where there are archaeological zones, rivers and lagoons.
The Mexican company ATC Touroperadores reported that it has decided that European and Mexican tourists will only visit Palenque, but will not enter the Lacandona Jungle towards the Nahá lagoon and the archaeological zones of Bonampak and Yaxchilán, due to the presence of armed men in some sections of the journey.
In a statement he announced that the tourist agencies of France, England and Belgium , “that we represent, have decided not to continue taking tourists to the entire Lacandona area and we agreed to reschedule for this year, the routes that we until now visited in that region.”
Operators denounce extra charges from armed men to enter archaeological zones
Tour operators assure that “for several years” they have worked “disguising the problems that arise on tourist routes”, for example, entering other routes to circumvent some road blockades or avoiding passing through communities where there are inter-community conflicts.
Thus, the tour operators have prevented national and foreign tourists from “perceiving little of the bad things that happen here,” says the letter sent to the media.
When the drivers of the tourist company vehicles arrive at a blockade with natives who cover their faces, it is certain that the passage can be negotiated or, failing that, they use alternative routes.
But when the vehicle with tourists reaches a point where there is a gunfight and “you realize that the Lacandon and Chole natives have offensive strength to confront the same Mexican Army and the National Guard , openly,” then “it is not worth risking.” the life of tourists,” he explains.
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