More reasons not to travel to Mexico.

http://www.upi.com

Rising crime threatens Acapulco
ACAPULCO, Mexico, July 12 (UPI) -- Acapulco's head of security has been kidnapped and a rising crime wave threatens the resort's lucrative tourist trade.

Mayor Felix Salgado attributed the abduction of city hall security chief Eusebio Palacios by seven armed men to "political motives."

Palacio is a retired Mexican army captain. He was abducted from his vehicle carrying his wife and daughter, who were not harmed in the incident.

The Spanish news agency EFE reported Wednesday that Mexican officials believe that drug traffickers, who recently have begun a reign of terror in Acapulco, killing a number of police officers, probably took Palacio hostage.

Salgado told the press that some of the violence had political motivations, designed to intimidate the public not to vote in the July 2 elections.

Mexico's federal authorities have ordered the army and the police to step up their activities in Acapulco and surrounding towns in Guerrero state, which has seen a "war to the death" between rival drug traffickers and organized criminal gangs.