My fellow employees were robbed in the heart of the municipal center as they crossed the street. Very common for two men on a moped to pull up in front of you, stop, one waves a gun and takes phones, wallets, laptops, etc.. and hangs on to them while the guy driving the moped speeds off.
My local partners had opposing modes of protection: one drove around in a beater Brazilian VW Golf, figuring he’d be less a target, and the other had chauffeur and bodyguard in an armored Alfa Romeo. It was my understanding as a clear gringo, just to say out of marginal areas.
I’m not surprised your coworkers were attacked at the municipal center, as that’d be a target-heavy locale for the local mobsters, by all the big international hotels.
Stay boutique in these places!