Fatal Shooting at Food Stall Shocks Playa Del Carmen

A foreign individual was tragically killed in Playa Del Carmen on Christmas Eve, marking the second such incident in less than three days. This incident follows the execution of three other individuals on Monday. Authorities have been hesitant to publicize these events, concerned about the potential negative impact on the city's image, particularly during the holiday season.

The victim, a Colombian man, was operating his food stall on Paseos del Mayab Avenue and the extension of 38 Norte Street, near the main entrance to Selvanova residential area. Around 4:45 in the afternoon, two men on a motorcycle approached the food stall and opened fire, killing the owner instantly. The assailants then fled the scene, heading south on Paseos del Mayab. The direction they took afterwards remains unknown.

State Police and Municipal Citizen Security officers arrived at the scene to secure the area and begin initial investigations. They also interviewed witnesses present during the incident. The FGE and Semefo later arrived to retrieve the body.

The number of such incidents in the municipality has risen to seventy-eight this year, with a noticeable increase in the last hundred days. Disturbingly, the bodies of the victims often show signs of torture, and an increasing number of victims are women.

It's worth noting that a deputy commander of the State Police has reportedly threatened to confiscate the equipment of journalists from a news portal, in an attempt to prevent the incident from being reported. This is seen as an effort to maintain a positive image of Playa del Carmen, which is currently welcoming thousands of tourists for the holiday season.