My parents lived outside of Guaymas in the early 70s, so we went down fairly often, and no problems.
After they moved back stateside, about 5 years later, we didn't go down anymore until we drove to Mazatlan for the 1992 total eclipse.
At that time, the changes were striking. The toll booths on the hiways were sandbagged and fortified, with mounted & manned machineguns on the roofs, and platoon strength Federales with automatic weapons, and 6-bys and Jeeps with mounted .30's in defensive positions.
The new "freeway" had signs posted warning people NOT to use it without waiting for military escorts. The old hiway was safer.
Many of the haciendas were being fortified with new perimeter walls, and new watchtowers, with gunslits, built at the corners and entrances; and the ground between the walls and buildings was being cleared. Some looked like they were digging tunnels to the perimeter towers
Federale squad-strength foot patrols were everywhere along the roads.
Trash all over the place, and villagers dirtier than I had ever seen them.
Haven't been back since, and don't plan to.
Wow, that is sad for Mexico.
Why do you think the peasants have not had a good old fashioned American version of their own revolution?
Sounds like a warzone.
Is that done to protect the elites from the people? Or is done mostly to stop drug runners? Maybe different drug groups. One group gets safe passage. the other gets blasted if they try to come through that area?