Second Bar Shooting in Playa del Carmen This Month Targets ‘El Antídoto’

Playa del Carmen, Quintana Roo — Gunmen attacked a bar in central Playa del Carmen on Tuesday night, marking the second shooting at a bar in this tourist hub in less than a month amid extortion threats from organized crime.

The shooting occurred around 8:30 p.m. at El Antídoto bar, located at the intersection of Avenida 30 and Avenida Juárez. According to authorities, suspects arrived on a motorcycle, passed in front of the establishment, and fired at least four shots.

One account of the incident indicates the attackers left a phone number and a threat related to extortion payments, known locally as “derecho de piso” or protection money, commonly demanded by criminal groups.

Municipal police officers arrived shortly after the shooting and cordoned off the area. State Prosecutor’s Office agents and forensic experts later collected evidence from the scene.

No injuries were reported, and emergency medical services were not required. Authorities have not announced any arrests in connection with the attack.

Recent Bar Attacks in Quintana Roo

This incident follows another shooting on April 1 at the Acuario bar, also in central Playa del Carmen. In that attack, a gunman fired eight shots at a white Hilux pickup truck parked outside the establishment, hitting the vehicle four times but causing only material damage. The truck’s owner escaped unharmed, and authorities said the shooting was related to a death threat against an individual.

On March 30, a shooting at a bar in Cancún left one person dead and four injured. Officials attributed that violence to a settling of scores between criminal gangs operating in the area.