The U.S. State Department on Monday issued a travel advisory to Mexico’s resort-dotted Caribbean coast after a Medallion taxi driver began harassing and attacking drivers from ride-hailing app Uber and its customers. .
Taxi drivers have blocked one of the main roads leading to the hotel district in Cancun’s resort town.
Roads were blocked, forcing some tourists to travel on foot or fly in police courtesy vans.
The State Department advised travelers that “past disputes between these services and local taxi unions have at times turned violent and, in some cases, caused injuries to U.S. citizens.”
The Cancun Police Department shared a photo of a traveler boarding the back of a police truck and said, “Given that Boulevard Kukulcan is closed, our transit officer helped people to the airport.” said.
Cancun mayor urges restraint on taxi drivers enraged by competition from Uber drivers
In a recorded message, Mayor Ana Patricia Peralta said, “We will not allow small groups to jeopardize the reputation of our resort and the safety of our people.
Over the past two days, social media has been flooded with videos showing tourists being denounced, and in one case apparently being raped by a group of several uniformed taxi drivers.
“That’s illegal, illegal,” a taxi driver can be heard yelling at a family of what appears to be tourists.
The ride-hailing app was blocked in Cancun until earlier this month, when a court issued an injunction to allow Uber to operate.
Local Medallion taxis in Cancun are expensive, so many travelers prefer to use the app.
Some Cancun residents posted videos and photos of taxis surrounding suspected ride-hailing vehicles. One man said he was carrying several people when a taxi driver threw and dented his car.
Actions to be taken by the US Embassy and Mexican Consulates:
- Check our Mexico travel information for destination recommendations.
- Keep in mind that all destinations carry some degree of risk in light of the widely publicized security incidents at popular tourist destinations. is widely prevalent.
- Check your personal security plan.
- Be aware of your surroundings and try not to stand out.
- Monitor your local media for updates.
- Call 911 in Mexico for immediate help.
US Embassy and Mexican Consulate Contact Numbers:
- From Mexico: 55 8526 2561
- From the United States: 1-844-528-6611
- Department of State – Consular Section: +1-888-407-4747 or +1-201-501-4444
