In cartel-plagued Mexican cities authorities warn adults not to wear masks on Halloween

MEXICO CITY (AP) — Halloween is gaining ground in Mexico, but in a country so wracked by drug cartel violence, there have been real fears about ghosts, ghouls and skeletons walking the streets. The concern isn’t so much about competition for Mexico’s traditional, home-grown Day of the Dead celebrations, which are going off Friday and Saturday without a hitch in cemeteries around the country this year. Rather, at least three violence-plagued cities in Mexico have urged residents not to wear masks, which are frequently used by cartel gunmen in Mexico to hide their identities. In the northern cities of Tijuana, Culiacan and Hermosillo, authorities warned residents not to stay out late, or wear masks.