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Would you travel to Mexico right now?

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Originally posted by: BeauJangles

The violence surrounding the drug flow away from the US-Mexico border isn't as bad, but I would worry about how emboldened these cartels clearly feel at this juncture. It's obvious to them, and everyone else that the Mexican Government is unable to stop them and their latest waves of violence have prompted internal turmoil within the government itself. These cartels are now just murdering DAs, police officers, and anybody who stands in their way. Kidnappings across the country are at all-time highs (I believe), and, while most of that stuff has been kept out of resorts, I would worry that these unparalleled levels of violence and kidnappings would spill out into resorts.
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You remember the crack epidemic here in the 80s? By the time people realized how addictive it was, it was too late. Would you be caught in a D.C. neighborhood or park at night? I wouldnt. Sure the dealers here in the US arent as vicious as the Mexican ones....or are they?

 
Originally posted by: FelixDeKat
Originally posted by: BeauJangles

The violence surrounding the drug flow away from the US-Mexico border isn't as bad, but I would worry about how emboldened these cartels clearly feel at this juncture. It's obvious to them, and everyone else that the Mexican Government is unable to stop them and their latest waves of violence have prompted internal turmoil within the government itself. These cartels are now just murdering DAs, police officers, and anybody who stands in their way. Kidnappings across the country are at all-time highs (I believe), and, while most of that stuff has been kept out of resorts, I would worry that these unparalleled levels of violence and kidnappings would spill out into resorts.
Click to expand...

You remember the crack epidemic here in the 80s? By the time people realized how addictive it was, it was too late. Would you be caught in a D.C. neighborhood or park at night? I wouldnt. Sure the dealers here in the US arent as vicious as the Mexican ones....or are they?
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I think the biggest worry for me wouldn't be getting killed. It would be being robbed and having my passport and id taken, then being stuck in a foreign country trying to prove who I am. That or being kidnapped for ransom.

 
Originally posted by: Modelworks
Originally posted by: FelixDeKat
Originally posted by: BeauJangles

The violence surrounding the drug flow away from the US-Mexico border isn't as bad, but I would worry about how emboldened these cartels clearly feel at this juncture. It's obvious to them, and everyone else that the Mexican Government is unable to stop them and their latest waves of violence have prompted internal turmoil within the government itself. These cartels are now just murdering DAs, police officers, and anybody who stands in their way. Kidnappings across the country are at all-time highs (I believe), and, while most of that stuff has been kept out of resorts, I would worry that these unparalleled levels of violence and kidnappings would spill out into resorts.
Click to expand...

You remember the crack epidemic here in the 80s? By the time people realized how addictive it was, it was too late. Would you be caught in a D.C. neighborhood or park at night? I wouldnt. Sure the dealers here in the US arent as vicious as the Mexican ones....or are they?
Click to expand...

I think the biggest worry for me wouldn't be getting killed. It would be being robbed and having my passport and id taken, then being stuck in a foreign country trying to prove who I am. That or being kidnapped for ransom.
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I dunno. The thing about getting killed - you only have to be wrong once.
 
Originally posted by: FelixDeKat
Originally posted by: roid450
We go 1-2 times a month, every every month, die to half our family being across the border. Were going back for a cousins wedding this weekend. Mexico is just fine, but just be aware of what a dollar is worth and know how to convert it or u will get ripped possibly.

i wouldn't really recommend going if you don't know any spanish, that just sets u up for Failure.

I also see violence no where. The only people getting killed are mainly people involved in Drug Cartels.

Shit I even ride my motorcycle around towns freely with no worries. :thumbsup:
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Thanks for your input. My Spanish is not very good so I probably would fail in a regular town. But that does sound like fun to go bike riding & exploring.
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Also if walking around a city, I'd try not to have any lose items like for women, my mom just takes the needed things and money and leaves the purse at home if we are just going to a place to shop or eat. But if we are visiting family we are usually always at someones house.

Also if you wear jewelry, might be a wise choice to remove it first. I usually leave my gold chin at home, its about 1/4 inch think so if someone really wants it, they prolly wouldn't hesitate to try to take it, tho that is sort of rare, depends on the part of town you are in. When we visit another town to go shopping and eat out, we usually always stay in the nice parts and don't venture into ghetto areas or poor ass looking areas :thumbsup:
 
Originally posted by: LS21
Originally posted by: roid450
We go 1-2 times a month, every every month, die to half our family being across the border.
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ok, now i DONT want to go...

but really, people way blow traveling-safety out of proportions
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FAKKKKKK lol didnt spell check.

LOL

mean "due" to half our family living across the border.
 
Originally posted by: archiloco
the real problem is that the drug enforcement policies in Mexico the past few years have been working, so drug lords/underlings find themselves strapped for cash/routes and fight over what is left, and to adjust for their loss of income have become entrepreneurs in the kidnapping industry, and also violence leads to fear and chaos, also the problem lies in the united states because yeah the drug gets to cross mexico but somehow magically disappears when it crosses the border, magic u say or extremely corrupt groups in the USA transporting all this product across the country.......
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Absolutely factually incorrect. The Mexican government's policy towards the Cartels has been highly ineffective due to fear, intimidation, and corruption within the system itself. Tens of thousands of police officers are paid off every year to "look the other way" when it comes to all sorts of crimes committed by the Cartels. They have zero respect for the government and, now, they know the government cannot stop them even if they truly wanted.

There is zero evidence that the Mexican government has done anything effective to stop the cartels in the last five to seven years.

As for your concerns over the US government trucking the drugs out of Mexico, I'm afraid you're sorely mistaken. The problem for the US is that ICE / Border Patrol really only gets one shot at stopping these shipments -- when they are crossing the border or about to enter the United States. Often, these drugs are hidden away in goods being shipped into the country (for example, the plastic donkeys that were recently discovered to be filled with marijuana) or the goods are delivered via airplane, light aircraft, boat, or even on overland routes that are simply unprotected by ICE / Border Patrol.

Originally posted by: FelixDeKat

You remember the crack epidemic here in the 80s? By the time people realized how addictive it was, it was too late. Would you be caught in a D.C. neighborhood or park at night? I wouldnt. Sure the dealers here in the US arent as vicious as the Mexican ones....or are they?
Click to expand...

What bothers me most about the Mexican drug crisis is that nobody in this country seems to appreciate the fact that the government in Mexico is teetering on the brink of collapse or complete capitulation to these drug cartels. If that were to happen it would be a bigger national security threat than any Middle Eastern terrorists. As these cartels have gained power, they've spread their influence into this country -- again, something that has gone largely unnoticed. Violent Latin American gangs either directly associated with the cartels or associated simply through the drug trade have cropped up across the country and have overwhelmed the (relatively) small amount of resources we have dedicated to fighting them.
 
LOL, my company is quoting a job with about one month of work in Mexico. As far as I'm concerned, someone else can have it. I'm not "fucking" going, period.

Edit: And yes, I've spent many, many weeks in Mexico so it's not like it would have been my first trip.
 
Originally posted by: Modelworks

oops !
You are right , I misread.
Still that is over 100 people a month.
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in a whole country of 100 million people?

per capita, thats still probably lower than baltimore, detroit, new york, atlanta, etc...

 
I've been to Mexico numerous times and never had an issue, and not just tourist trap towns either. Perhaps I'm just not so risk averse or have a general trust in people, but I've always felt common sense to be the best guide.

Unfortunately, so many of the best places to travel have these types of problems. You either have to accept some risk, travel only in the most well known/traveled areas (and often the least authentic) or simply stop traveling. That's unfortunate.
 
I keep hearing about the violence in Mexico but haven't really seen any (news) reports on it. Can someone give me a quick summary?
 
Originally posted by: sygyzy
I keep hearing about the violence in Mexico but haven't really seen any (news) reports on it. Can someone give me a quick summary?
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Mexico has a long a troubled history, but the short of it is that the government has grown increasingly weak over the last ten years and, slowly but surely, the cartels have taken advantage of it. Corruption within the government has fueled the flow of drugs and other illegal activities.

Now, as the government is truly reeling, the violence has been ramped up. These articles are all fairly recent:
Mexico's Powerful Drug Cartels May Be Joining Forces
Police among latest victims of Mexico violence
Northwest appetite for drugs fuels violence in Mexico -- In January alone, 1,000 people died in the violence in Mexico.
Four suspected kidnappers shot dead in Mexico
Mexican cartels plague Atlanta
Two Police Majors Reported Missing in Northern Mexico
Violent spillover from Mexico is focus of House hearing
"Since the beginning of last year, there have been nearly 7,000 drug-related murders in Mexico. If we had said that years ago, we would have looked at each other like we were crazy," he said. "Violent drug trafficking organizations are threatening both the United States and Mexican communities."
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Last year, more than 1,600 killings occurred in Juarez, three times more than the most murderous city in the United States. And last month, the city's chief of police was obliged to quit after threats from organized crime to kill a policeman every day that he remained on the job.
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Violence in Mexican state of Guerrero kills 6

There are hundreds and hundreds of stories that are basically the same. Essentially the problem boils down to this -- the Mexican government is too weak to truly stop these cartels and any efforts they make are hampered by the threats of violence, bribes, and extortion doled out by the cartels.

edit: Just to give you another idea
http://s3.amazonaws.com/newsok-photos/548777/medium.jpg
the caption:
A Mexican soldier walks near a bullet-riddled police vehicle at the scene where three police officers were killed in Ciudad Juarez, northern Mexico, Tuesday, Feb. 17, 2009. The three officers, including the director of operations of the city's Public Safety Department, were shot to death by unidentified gunmen on a street near the U.S. consulate. (AP Photo/Eduardo Verdugo)
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Originally posted by: sygyzy
I keep hearing about the violence in Mexico but haven't really seen any (news) reports on it. Can someone give me a quick summary?
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v High, yes.

v Over exaggerated? Probably.
 
Originally posted by: FelixDeKat
With the escalating violence there is alot to worry about. But if you go to a resort town like Cancun, I dont see much to worry about except a hangover. :sun:
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And getting robbed by the policía.
 
I went in 2005. I've actually got a timeshare in Cancun that I've been trading for other resorts in RCI.

My advice from what I've read. If you go to Cancun, don't go downtown....but they always say that. 😛 Market 28 and everything else down there thrives on cruise ship traffic....plus, most tourists there are from the UK and Europe...They're not scared.

The drug wars are all about trafficing routes and a struggle for control because they locked up a bunch of Cartel leaders last year. The guys inside the cartels are basically trying to take over the business from weaker leadership. Sadly, this is all happening with a bunch of innocent folks caught in the crossfire.

If you do Cancun, Accupulco, or Cabo you should be fine. Mexico City should even be as safe as it has been in the past few years (not that safe, but safe enough). The real problem are the smaller towns near the US border where law enforcement has been replaced by military.
 
if only we hadn't wasted all our money in iraq we could help mexico fix its problems, thereby making all our issues about border control their issues.
 
Hell no. Don't want to be in the cross fire when all the druggies duke it out. My supervisor at work is going for a week with the family on Wednesday of next week though. Good luck to her.

One day, I would love to go there to see the Aztec/Mayan ruins though. Always had an interest in the Spanish conquest, and seeing some of the locales would be awesome. I have no interest in the bullshit spring break, beach getaway places.
 
No, but only because there are better places to go. I was considering it this winter, but opted for Costa Rica instead.
 
Originally posted by: GagHalfrunt
The big touristy places like Cancun, Cabo and Acapulco are okay, it's the grubby little border towns that you have to be afraid to visit.
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and i am afraid.

the kids in Tijuana have an interesting technique for mugging people. a group of about 15 of them will cluster around someone, and begin walking with them. pinching, touching, nothing major. what they are doing is distracting you while they reach in your pockets.

so, find a different place to put your wallet, and put a loaded mousetrap in your wallet pocket.
 
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