Spooked by Violence, Many Are Staying Away from Cemeteries for Day of the Dead Celebrations Alasdair Baverstock - Fox News Latino
go to original October 27, 2016

Broken tombs left by graverobbers at the Iztapalapa cemetery in Mexico City (Alasdair Baverstock/Fox News Latino)

Alarmed by the possibility of violent crime, this year Mexico City residents are shying away from the capital’s cemeteries for traditional Day of the Dead rituals. They’d rather honor their ancestors from the safety of their own homes.

Following a pre-Hispanic custom of bringing food, drink and offerings to the gravesites of deceased relatives, the Day of the Dead celebrations see thousands of visits to cemeteries across the country from Oct. 29 to Nov. 2.

But following a spate of break-ins and robberies at the Iztapalapa graveyard in Mexico City, one of the capital’s most dangerous districts, many members of ground staff say they have seen a significant drop in visitors to family gravestones.

“The graveyard has become notorious as an easy place to commit a crime and get away with it,” graveyard supervisor Benjamin Mendoza told Fox News Latino. “Residents feel off their guard while kneeling at their loved ones’ gravesides.”

On the night of Oct. 19, criminals broke the chains on the front gate of Iztapalapa Municipal graveyard, where over 5,000 people are buried, before raiding the storeroom, front office and a number of graves belonging to the wealthiest families in town.

It was the fourth break-in during the last three months.

Read the rest at Fox News Latino

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