- Written by Will Grant
- BBC Central America correspondent
The close-knit and peaceful surfing community in the Mexican port of Ensenada is in shock.
Three foreign surfers, Australian brothers Callum and Jake Robinson, and American friend Jack Carter Lord, had come to town just a few days earlier and, at a predictable start, hit one of North America's best surfing spots. I enjoyed some of them. May it be a once in a lifetime trip.
Their bodies, brutally murdered at the campsite, have now been returned to their families.
They had planned to follow a well-worn route starting in Ensenada and surfing and camping down the Pacific coast to Rosarito further south. Unfortunately, they were unable to reach their accommodation.
Instead, their bodies were found days later in a well several kilometers from the campsite, and a burnt-out pickup truck was also found nearby. Both men died from gunshot wounds to the head, authorities said, sending chills through the local surfing community.
The effects of the violence still reverberate through the sleepy seaside town.
“It's difficult. The truth is, I've always felt safe here,” said Jessica, an American from San Diego who now lives near Ensenada, her wetsuit still dripping from the morning waves. Said.
A well-worn path through a surfer's paradise
Ensenada has been a popular tourist destination from the United States at various times during its 500-year history. During Prohibition in the early 20th century, the city's economy was particularly boosted by Americans coming south in search of legal booze.
It is now the third largest city in the state, has a thriving tourism industry, and a thriving expat community. As the cost of living in the U.S. rises, thousands of foreigners, from silver-haired retirees to digital nomads, are settling here to enjoy the seaside property, warm climate and relaxed atmosphere.
And of course, it attracts a large number of surfers every year.
The entire area of All Saints Bay (Bahía de Todos Santos in Spanish) is a surfer's paradise. Spots such as San Miguel Beach and Todos Santos Island are famous among the surfing community, with the latter hosting a major competition, Billabong XXL.
Therefore, it is likely that the three people killed had little or no anxiety about embarking on the trip. And few fellow surfers would necessarily warn you beyond urging you to be careful.
Jessica, an American from San Diego, said she came to the beach town to surf with her husband. They run programs for young people and the “really cool and really friendly” local surfing community.
“Of course we take precautions and research destinations carefully before we go. But it's so beautiful here and the people here are so nice that we plan on surfing the entire coast while we live here.” she said.
undercurrent of violence
Some Mexican surfers place the killings in the context of continued violence in the region.
The young men never expected to meet such a tragic fate simply by pursuing what they loved, but their murders are a stark reminder of the extent of crime in Mexico's northern states. Masu.
“It is important that this is a fight and not a silent fight. We must continue to draw attention to these issues, continue to protest and march, continue to raise our voices and demand an end to impunity. '' said Paulina Rodriguez. A surfer from Ensenada told the BBC.
Powerful drug cartels are waging a territorial war over the Plaza, the northern route for drug smuggling and human trafficking, and illegal guns have also been moved south. All of this is a multi-billion industry for cartels operating along the border, and foreigners encounter organized crime in Mexico time and time again.
Francisca Acosta, a young Mexican surfer, echoed concerns about widespread impunity for violent crimes in Mexico.
“(The killings) speak to a larger problem in Baja California and all of Mexico,” she said with a sigh. “There is a huge problem with impunity. Disappearances and violent crimes are becoming more and more common.”
The country's poorest people are the most vulnerable, she said.
“If this can happen to a tourist, it can happen to anyone,” she added. “With organized crime on the rise in society, you can feel the fear in our streets.”
Inside the impact zone
Local authorities took swift action after the surfers' deaths.
Three people have been arrested in connection with the killing, including a woman who was in possession of one of the man's cellphones.
The leading theory from Baja California authorities is that the detainees tried to steal the group's car, possibly its tires. But when they met resistance, the attackers burned the tents and killed them before they could hide the bodies.
State Attorney General Maria Elena Andrade Ramirez said her office would conduct a thorough investigation into “these unfortunate events until those responsible face the full weight of the law.”
In some ways, the violence in Baja California is reminiscent of last year's kidnapping of four Americans, two of whom were killed, in Matamoros, Tamaulipas.
Like the surfer murders, this case similarly attracted international media attention, forcing authorities to take swift action.
Concerns were also voiced on social media platforms about the speed and scale of the search efforts for the tourists, with an estimated 100,000 people missing in Mexico. Many of them will be discarded in shallow graves in this country that seem to continue forever. drug war.
But such complaints fail to account for the behind-the-scenes diplomatic pressure being exerted on the Mexican government by its partners, in this case Australia and the United States.
Conversely, Mexico's federal government may have put pressure on local authorities to act quickly. Media surveillance, with teams of Australian and American journalists rushing to Baja California, also makes the authorities' action more urgent. Although unlikely to be expressed publicly during this investigation, the potential impact of such negative and violent headlines on tourism also requires urgent action from authorities. It may contribute to a quick resolution.
Aside from such ruthless political considerations, the surfing community held a “paddle out” in memory of the men killed in Ensenada.
It was a dignified and heartfelt farewell in the same waters where they rode their last wave before getting caught up in the violent crime of Mexico. Violent crime in Mexico had brought many victims before them.
Additional reporting by Ivan Gallardo in Ensenada