Los Cabos Remains Safe For Tourists Despite Recent Increase In Missing Persons 

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Last Updated 1 year ago

New data by the National Registry of Missing and Unlocated Persons (RNPDNO) shows a 40.3% increase in Baja California Sur in cases of disappearance compared to the same period in 2022. 

Search groups are now urging the state authorities to speed up the investigations and take action to lower these alarming statistics. 

From the beginning of the year, a total of 16,377 people disappeared over the territories of Mexico, 365 of whom were reported missing in the state of Baja California Sur. 

This is an increase of 40.3% compared to the 241 people who went missing last year in the same period of time. 

The report also shows how the majority of the people missing in Baja California Sur are men, with 211 cases, equal to 57.8% of the total.

At the moment, women cases made up 42.19%, with a total of 154 disappearances from the beginning of the year.

The situation in Los Cabos

Unfortunately, Los Cabos is also reporting a high number of missing people. This is the second city in Baja California Sur for the number of disappearances in 2023, a total of 149 cases.

First on the list is the capital city of La Paz with 182 cases. Comondú, Mulegé, and Loreto only reported a few disappearances throughout the year, respectively 12, 10, and 9.

Three additional people went missing from other municipalities in the surrounding area.

Out of the 365 cases in Baja California Sur, authorities are still looking for 124 people. On top of this, 85 individuals are suspected of having committed a crime prior to their disappearance.

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As of today, 241 people have been found by the authorities. Unfortunately, seven of them were dead.
Despite the tragedy, this is a slight improvement compared to the same period in 2022 when a total of ten missing people were found deceased.

Given these alarming statistics, shall tourists planning a trip to Los Cabos start to consider other destinations for their holidays?

Should tourists be concerned? 

Given a population of roughly 202,700 people (data from 2020), 149 missing individuals may seem like a lot. So, should tourists be concerned about this data? 

The truth is that despite these high numbers, Los Cabos remains a safe destination for tourists. 

Most people who go missing are either trying to escape the law after committing a crime, are part of local gangs, or are involved in local disputes. 

The Mexican government and, in particular, Los Cabos authorities have put a huge effort in recent years to keep Baja California Sur safe so that tourists can keep enjoying these stunning destinations. 

This is mostly because the Los Cabos industry is heavily based on tourism, meaning that if tourists start feeling unsafe and choose other summer holiday destinations, the city and the surrounding areas would lose tons of money.

What the government says

The Mexican government recently released a report ranking the most crime-ridden cities within its territory. 

Despite the increase in missing people, in this document, the Secretary of Security reported how not only Los Cabos is still one of the safest tourist destinations in the country but that crimes in Baja California Sur remain extremely low compared to the rest of Mexico. 

Not by chance, this state registered the lowest number of intentional homicides in 2023, with only 20 reported cases since the beginning of the year. 

Keep an eye open

Despite the high levels of safety present in Los Cabos, it is always important to exercise a basic level of caution whenever traveling to a popular tourist destination. 

People visiting Los Cabos are advised to avoid wearing expensive clothes or jewelry. Another good idea is to always invest in good travel insurance to get a refund in case of theft. 

Last but not least, authorities suggest people always keep an eye on their expensive belongings and avoid leaving baggage and handbags unattended.