MEXICO CITY (AP) — Mexico’s government has acknowledged that at least two well-known Mayan ruin sites are unreachable by visitors because of a toxic mix of cartel violence and land disputes.
The explosion of drug cartel violence in Chiapas since last year has left the Yaxchilán ruin site completely cut off, the government conceded Friday.
They say that to get to yet another archaeological site, Lagartero, travelers are forced to hand over identification and cellphones at cartel checkpoints.
Though no tourist has been harmed so far, and the government claims the sites are safe, many guides no longer take tour groups there.
The guide said the ruin sites have the added disadvantage of being in jungle areas where the cartels have carved out at least four clandestine landing strips to fly drugs in from South America.
Persons:
—, “ It’s, ”, Andrés Manuel López, “, López Obrador, Mexico —
Organizations:
MEXICO CITY, “, National Institute of Anthropology, Central Americans, National Guard
Locations:
MEXICO, Chiapas, Guatemala, Tonina, Gaza, Lagartero, Mexico, Palenque, Frontera Comalapa, Darien, South America, Central America, U.S, Cuba, Asia, Africa, Sinaloa, Jalisco