Monday’s shooting at the iconic Teotihuacán archaeological zone 30 miles northeast of Mexico City has prompted the government to implement enhanced security protocols at the country’s cultural heritage sites.
By order of President Claudia Sheinbaum, Security Minister Omar García Harfuch said on Tuesday that his ministry has already begun coordinating with the Culture Ministry to improve protocols that will ensure the safety of visitors and prevent similar occurrences in the future.
“The presence of the National Guard will be increased in full coordination with local authorities, preventive inspections and access controls will be reinforced and surveillance systems in these spaces will be strengthened,” Harfuch said during Sheinbaum’s daily press conference on April 21.
Among the improvements to security at Mexico’s archaeological sites will be expanded physical and cyber patrolling by the National Guard and the National Intelligence Center to identify and prevent any threats.
“We will continue to act intelligently … to protect citizens and those who visit our country,” he said, adding that Monday’s attack was “unprecedented and regrettable.”
Mexico currently does not have metal detectors installed at any of its archaeological sites. President Sheinbaum on Tuesday called for more rigorous inspections so that guns do not enter archaeological sites or other public places, though she declined to say whether weapon-detecting technology will be established at their entry points.
Images of the shootout atop the Pyramid of the Moon have dealt a severe blow to Mexico’s international image as a safe destination just weeks ahead of the anticipated arrival of 5 million visitors for the FIFA World Cup.
The terrifying incident has increased scrutiny of Mexico’s security capabilities ahead of the tournament, even as violence at the country’s tourism and cultural sites is exceedingly rare.
Mexico City has hosted several massive events recently without incident, including free concerts in the capital’s main square (Shakira drew 400,000 people on March 1 and Andrea Bocelli headlined another show that attracted 300,000 fans on April 18) and four separate World Cup qualifying matches in late March.
The authorities have been preparing for months with multimillion-dollar investments in infrastructure and the projected deployment of 100,000 officers in stadiums, hotels and airports.
Still, a fatal shooting at a popular tourist location — Teotihuacán, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, received 1.6 million visitors last year — represents a significant blow to the government’s hopes that it could use the World Cup to consolidate the country’s appeal as a tourism powerhouse.
With reports from Razón, LopezDoriga.com, Bloomberg, Euro News and El País
