The bars and hotels are empty, and the nightlife ends at 11 pm.
This is today’s Mexico in Sinaloa.
It’s the struggle of the cartels, the fear, the terror of the policies of the new Trump Administration.
“In my thirty years working in one of the best bars in Mazatlán, we never had this. Tourism has dropped, there are no people on the streets, we are scared,” says a bartender who, for obvious reasons, prefers to remain unnamed.
“Many people have been affected, they have been fired. Hotels have been impacted. We are a ghost town,” says this service worker.
The economy between Mexico and the U.S. has been affected since Donald Trump’s assumption of office.
The attack on immigration policies, the narco trade, with a focus on fentanyl, has been his mission and has been a target in his foreign policy.
“Violence has increased,” he says.
Mazatlán’s economy and tourism activity are facing a severe blow following recent waves of violence generated by criminal groups in Sinaloa, which began escalating in September. This situation has impacted not only hotels and restaurants but has also disrupted the entire chain of services and suppliers that support the local port’s economy.
According to a report from the weekly publication Ríodoce, the violence has significantly affected suppliers and tourism service workers in Mazatlán, from the hotel industry to bars and nightclubs. Even those indirectly dependent on tourism income are feeling the impact, as the flow of visitors has drastically declined.
José Ramón Manguart, president of the Three Islands Hotel Association, reported a significant drop in reservations since the Independence Day celebrations, with occupancy falling by 25% to 30% on some days. “The fear generated by recent violent incidents has shaken tourists’ confidence, leading to lower hotel occupancy and reduced spending in the port,” Manguart commented.
In response to the situation, local residents have issued recommendations for tourists, advising caution to avoid potential risks. Araceli Elías, a visitor from Jalisco, shared that locals advised her not to leave her hotel after 10:00 p.m. “They told us to try to return early and avoid going out at night to prevent any incidents,” she explained.
Similarly, some Mazatlán residents have urged tourists to limit their movements and avoid traveling outside the port to other areas in Sinaloa, such as Culiacán, due to ongoing instability. Hugo Roberto Jiménez, another tourist, mentioned that locals recommended “not leaving Mazatlán to visit other places” to avoid risks
