Mexican government to pay for hospital costs of Canadian tourists assaulted in Acapulco

Where the assaults occurred

On Tuesday, March 5, a senior official with the state of Guerrero, Ernesto Aguirre, visited two Canadians in a private Acapulco hospital where they were recovering after an attack the night before.

Earlier reports that one of the two Canadians, a woman aged 60 and her husband, 65, had been stabbed appear to have been inaccurate. Aguirre said that the woman had some bruises and her husband had been hit in the ear. Both are in good health.

He also said that his government would be picking up all hospital costs.

Mexican press reports have said that the man was hit on the head with a sharp object, requiring stitches. The couple, who were also visited by municipal government officials and representatives from the Canadian consulate, have since been released.

The assault occurred in the early hours on Tuesday in front of the well-known, open air El Zorrito restaurant on the busy Avenida Costera Miguel Alemán, in Acapulco’s touristy Golden Zone.

The Canadian couple was walking along the street when the attackers approached on a motorcycle and jumped them. The couple apparently resisted as the criminals attempted to grab their belongings, which may have exacerbated the assault.

Though there were people about, fearful residents did not intervene. The assailants have yet to be apprehended.

Acapulco has had a crime problem for many years, and is now less popular as a tourist destination for foreigners than for Mexicans coming from Mexico City.

(TE Wilson is the author of Mezcalero, a Detective Sánchez novel.)

For related stories see:

February 25: Executive killed in Acapulco was victim of scam and death threats

February 5: After six Spanish women raped in Acapulco, mayor says such incidents "happen everywhere"

Twitter: @TimothyEWilson

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