Guadalajara -
Seven Federal Police officers were executed early today in Guerrero state, northwest of Acapulco.
The off-duty officers were drinking in a bar in Ciudad Altamiran when a commando team entered the establishment and opened fire, killing all the men before they could respond. The assailants fled after firing at several houses in the town of about 30,000.
In February, nine police officers were ambushed and killed in the same region while on routine reconnaissance. Gunmen ambush police patrol in war torn Guerrero state, leaving nine officers dead.
Ten days ago the Spanish Foreign Ministry warned its citizens to stay out of rural Guerrero state, parts of which are increasingly beyond local - and federal - control. Huge cancellations in Acapulco, as Spain issues new warning for Mexico.
In the first three months of the Institutional Revolutionary Party administration, an average of more than one police officer was killed every day. 100 police officers, soldiers killed in PRI's first 90 days.
In many rural areas of Mexico, including Guerrero, citizen self-defense forces have sprung up in default of effective policing by legally designated authorities. But the government says it will not tolerate them, and argues that many are armed and controlled by regional drug traffickers and organized crime elements. Peña Nieto's drug war czar says no to Mexican militias.
Earlier today president Enrique Peña Nieto, via his official Twitter account, encouraged foreign travel to Mexico during Semana Santa (Holy Week). Promising that special security measures would be in place throughout the nation, he said that "next week would be a great time to visit Mexico."
A week ago Mexico's Secretary of Tourism said she expects the country to drop one or two places when the World Tourism Organization issues its 2012 report in April. Mexico's Tourism Dept. expects drop in 2012 rankings.
Mar. 22 - Cancún under first "Red Alert" in its history
Mar. 7 - U.S. security firm Stratfor urges tourist caution in Acapulco, Cancún, Puerto Vallarta, others
Feb. 1 - HRW's condemnation of Mexican drug war reveals how little it understands conflict
Dec. 19 - In the hard, cold land of the Sierra Tarahumara, narco traffickers wage open war
© MGRR 2013. All rights reserved. This article may be cited or briefly quoted with proper attribution or a hyperlink, but not reproduced without permission.
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