In response to a series of troubling events, the tourist destination of Quintana Roo in Mexico is taking steps to address the violence perpetrated by taxi drivers against tourists who prefer using rideshare apps.

Earlier this month, three taxi drivers were apprehended for threatening a traveler attempting to book a rideshare service in Puerto Morelos, a resort town that lies between Cancun and Playa del Carmen. This information was detailed in a press release from the State Attorney General’s Office of Quintana Roo dated December 11.

These drivers were recognized from a video shared on social media that showed them “intimidating a tourist to compel him to cancel his digital transportation booking,” as stated in the release.

In the footage, the drivers obstruct the tourist, who speaks English, from entering the rideshare vehicle. According to The Associated Press, they were recorded saying, “It’s not allowed  you can’t take Uber because we will call the police, block the vehicle, and you’ll be in trouble, too.”

The Mobility Institute of Quintana Roo has revoked the operating licenses of the three implicated drivers and is presently reviewing their driving credentials.

Raciel López Salazar, the head of the State Attorney General’s Office, urges taxi drivers to “honor public space and conduct their duties in an organized manner.”

Salazar further emphasized that “any actions jeopardizing the safety of both local residents and visitors, whether domestic or international, will not be tolerated or hidden in Quintana Roo.”

In a separate incident last November, two taxi drivers were also arrested for aggressively confronting a driver they mistakenly believed was with a rideshare company in front of an ecotourism site in Solidaridad, another well-visited location, as reported in a release by the State Attorney General’s Office.

A group of drivers “surrounded the private vehicle, threatened the driver, and forced the tourists to vacate their car and hail a taxi.”

Investigations into these two drivers led to charges connected to drug trafficking.

Uber was prohibited in Mexico until 2023, a ban that was met with disapproval by local taxi unions. Since its legalization, reports of violence and harassment against tourists attempting to use the rideshare service have surfaced.

“The taxi unions hold considerable influence in Mexico and are unafraid to protest and intimidate in order to maintain their control,” stated Jeff Lanno, the founder of Hola Weddings, a travel agency in the Riviera Maya, after Uber’s legalization in January 2023.

“Overall, Quintana Roo is generally a secure destination for both locals and tourists,” said Ricardo Cruz, community manager for Hola Weddings. Originally from southern Mexico City and now residing in Playa del Carmen, Cruz noted, “I’ve traveled to major cities across the U.S., Europe, and Asia, and I feel far safer here than in many areas of New York or Istanbul. Basic safety measures and common sense should be observed wherever you travel.”