Thursday, February 27, 2014

New Tourist Attractions: “El Chapo” Hideouts

by Murry Page
 27 Feb 14 
 mazmessenger.com

The beaches of Mazatlán and the capital of Sinaloa, Culiacán, have new tourist attractions; hideouts used by Joaquin “El Chapo” Guzman.

The Miramar condominiums, located on Avenida del Mar, have become a tourist attraction and the most photographed place in Mazatlán since “El Chapo” Guzman was captured there on Saturday. Both tourists and residents have flocked to the site where he spent his last hours of freedom.

Taxi drivers are now offering “Narco-Tours” that include a look at the Miramar. Mazatlán taxi drive Jaime López said, “Since Saturday, I’ve made about 10 trips through the city and they (tourists) have all asked me to take them to where “El Chapo” was captured.”

John Kirsch, a Mazatlán photographer, said, “I would say the atmosphere at the site was almost festive. There was no sense that a feared drug lord had been living among us. It was more like, ‘Wow, this is cool. Mazatlán is on the map.’”

Members of the Mexican Real Estate Association of Real Estate Professionals (AMPI) joined the curious, as the new officers had their photograph taken in front of the Miramar.

In Culiacán the mayor, Sergio Torres Felix, said he has been approached by local hoteliers requesting the city promote “Narco-Tours.” The mayor noted that cities and countries monopolize on such attractions and that the proposal should not be dismissed out of hand.

A few of the houses where Guzman was hiding are located in Culiacán’s colonia Libertad. It is here where homes connected to the city’s storm drains permitted him to escape law enforcement officials. Traffic in this area has increased, as people want to see where “El Chapo” escaped the hunt for him only weeks ago.

(from Noroeste)


No comments:

Post a Comment