Six Spanish Tourists Raped by Gunmen in Mexico, Authorities Say

Six Spanish tourists on vacation in Acapulco were raped by masked gunmen who burst into their lodgings in the middle of the night, roughed up their companions and made off with cash, laptops and other valuables, authorities said.

The attack early Monday on what was in Mexico a long holiday weekend came as the one-time tourist mecca struggles to salvage its reputation. Acapulco, faded gem of Mexico’s Pacific coast, has become one of the deadliest cities in the country as rival drug traffickers fight for control.

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Most of the violence has been limited to dicier parts of the city not frequented by tourists. But this attack took place near the beach about six miles south of the so-called Diamond Zone, Acapulco’s newest and most luxurious enclave.

Acapulco’s city government press office said the tourists had rented a bungalow on Enchanted Beach south of the city, alongside small four-star hotels that advertise themselves as places for meditation, relaxation and yoga.

Walton said at least five gunmen entered the rooms where the tourists were sleeping, beat and tied up six men and raped six Spanish women. A seventh woman, a Mexican national, was unharmed, he said. The nationalities of the male tourists were not disclosed.

Walton added that the women were raped despite what he described as “excellent security” beefed up in Acapulco for the holiday weekend. Federal police and the army patrol parts of the city.

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