In an exclusive interview with The Yucatan Times, a spokesperson of the San Miguel de Allende’s restaurant chamber known as CANIRAC (Cámara Nacional de la Industria Restaurantera y Alimentos Condimentados), declared that the article published on Bloomberg and The Washington Post 5 days ago, (which was also posted on The Yucatan Times, citing the corresponding sources), does not reflect the truth of what is actually happening in San Miguel de Allende.
The article states that criminal groups are practically taking over the city of San Miguel, which according to the interviewee is totally false. “Apparently, the author of the article wants to deliberately harm the image of this important tourist destination and Expat haven”, the CANIRAC representative said.
The spokesperson explained that the CANIRAC is conformed by 116 restaurants, all within the San Miguel de Allende city limits, and absolutely none of these establishments, which are well known businesses, has been extorted or threatened by criminal groups in any way.
Besides, the interviewee mentioned that an average of 6 weddings are still being carried out in San Miguel every week, on a regular basis. These events attract a large number or travelers every single week (nationals and foreign), and of course represent an important economic spill for diverse sectors in the city.
San Miguel is one of most famous wedding destinations worldwide, this romantic location brings together friends and family in a peaceful and beautiful colonial city.
On the other hand, the Municipal Government of SMA categorically denied the veracity of the publication made by Bloomberg and The Washington Post, which, without any basis, stated that the city is a victim of organized crime.
El Gobierno Municipal desmiente categóricamente la publicación hecha por Grupo Bloomberg que, sin fundamento alguno, afirmó en un artículo que esta localidad es presa del crimen organizado. pic.twitter.com/EV5wLCiSCo
— San Miguel de Allende (@GobSMA) 4 de diciembre de 2019
“Just by looking at the stats published by the Executive Secretariat of the National Public Security System, it is evident that the article has no basis, and is absolutely false. For example, Semáforo Delictivo (a citizen social project that promotes peace in Mexico, and feeds on citizen complaints), only records one single case of extortion in the Municipality until October 2019. And there is no shakedown in SMA”, the municipal government stated.
“The Municipal Administration endorses that San Miguel de Allende, as a tourist destination, is attractive to all types of national and international travelers, but with real figures and measurable statistics it can be confirmed that the city of San Miguel is not a battlefield or dispute ground between criminals, as Bloomberg said.
Needless to say, a large part of the article published by Bloomberg is dedicated to making an account of unfortunate events that occurred in other municipalities and states of the country, not even close to San Miguel de Allende.
The newspaper article only talks about the lacerating reality that Mexico lives, provides national figures and statistics, talks about the president of the Republic, the economic situation of the Nation and other issues that go beyond our competence as a Municipality.
There is clearly no support in the arguments published in regard to San Miguel de Allende because it only feeds on the sayings and opinions of people that don’t even live in SMA, and most of them speaking from anonymity”.
The Yucatan Times wants to express their sympathy to the members of the CANIRAC, the Municpal Government and the people of San Miguel de Allende, and apologizes for the publication of the article based on the information posted by Bloomberg.
by Alejandro Azcárate for The Yucatan Times
