GUADALAJARA, Mexico – More than 40 people were killed across Mexico at the weekend, including 12 in the famous Pacific resort city of Acapulco.
According to the Spanish news agency EFE, 10 men and two women were shot dead in the seaside city, which has seen an escalation in drug-related violence in recent years.
Authorities have responded to the wave of deadly incidents by launching a security operation in tourist areas in the city, EFE reported.
Acapulco has been losing tourists to other parts of the country as Mexican and foreign holiday makers seek out safer destinations.
Mexican newspaper El Universal reported that six people were killed in three separate incidents in Torreon, a city in the northern state of Coahuila, where the Zetas and Sinaloa drug gangs have been fighting a deadly turf war.
In the western state of Michoacan, the bodies of two photographers were found in the trunk of a car on Sunday afternoon.
The victims, Jose Antonio Aguilar Mota, 26, and Arturo Barajas, 46, appeared to have been tortured, Proceso magazine reported, joining a growing list of Mexican journalists murdered by drug cartels.
After several weeks of relative calm following the July 1 presidential election, Mexico has seen a wave of deadly violence in the past two weeks.
More than 55,000 people have died in drug-related violence in the past six years.
More from GlobalPost: Wal-Mart: Mexico unit faces probe for alleged tax evasion, money laundering
There is no paywall on the story you just read because a community of dedicated listeners and readers have contributed to keep the global news you rely on free and accessible for all. Will you join the 319 donors who have supported The World so far? From now until Dec. 31, your gift will help us unlock a $67,000 match. Donate today to double your impact!