I Told Everyone to Avoid Mexico. Here we go...

[Lake-Effect]

Originally Posted by goboatingnow

I would be surprised if theses letters gets any response, firstly it claims the actions are Illegal" on what basis is that claim being made

I have to agree, the form-letter might have the stridency and hyperbole that detracts from any sincerity... and also makes it easy for the recipient to filter out.

My email to the Mexican Consulate simply asked for clarification of the situation, and for a clear statement of what's required and when. No accusations, no "this is outrageous!", just an expression of concern and a request for info.

Sometimes a nudge is better than a kick.

[zeehag]

i am deeply afraid that richard schindler´s attempts to bully mexico out of the impounded, err tagged boats will compound the problem by drawing undue attention on our low profile and even high profile yet advocative existences.
there are many more than 338 non mexican boats in mexico. there are many very pricey gringo yachts in zihuatenejo for sailfest.
there are many super wealthy souls living the nice peaceful ex pat life on board south of banderas bay. do these souls need suffer problems because one boat owner and event coordinator has been tagged and cannot remotely release his own boat?

do gringos need exponentially worsen the attitude found here against our gringo way of bullying the little guy into submission???

we are VISITORS in a nation based on a napoleonic law standard.
usa is not that way.
life here is different and folks do business with RESPECT not force.
RESPECT is IN PERSON dressed appropriately and IN SPANISH.
those who disagree need cruise elsewhere and keep a lot lower profile.
it is only respectful to do business in a nation not your own by remaining within the nations customs and culture.
learn the language of the nation you visit..all business and legal activities are done in that country´s national language.

when mexican local govt officials ask me " is this guy for real?!" when quoting parts of forums of immense size and international interest...i do not know what to say. most recent was the bunch of postings in ( another forum)* by someone cruising here and mouthing off about falsification of papers. that mentioning was regarding only those areas wherein the tagged boats are docked. coincidence????
speech like that can cause a disruption in way of life fro many , not just the one who mouthed off. that fact is not appreciated in usa and north. it is so here, i was asked if that guy was fo rreal by port capt employees and by other local mexican officials. please tellme the actio9ns online of someone mouthing off didnt release the hounds as it were.... it is an unknown as to what was the final straw for mexico what wirth gringo disrespect here. we leave boats forever, we badmouth the results of legal action.. we claim to have RIGHTS in a nation not our own. we bully and try to bully other nations out of what we want and present as a******s....
what can we do to overcome this latest mayhem,....
how can we return to our lifestyles here comfortably and without disruption.
it aint gonna happen as long as these bullying actions and bad words continue.
before the two activities done by gringos, there was a nice easy living here. comfortable and inexpensive with caring loving neighbors(=locals).

please forgive my rant..i am not able to physically leave here, as my engine still is immobile. i am using local machine shops and support locals over gringo businesses.
i advocate tourism in mexico. it is awesome here.
i wish other folks would respect this beautiful and peacefuñl culture and people.


no, most mexican people are NOT like those who are so desirous of crawling across usa border.
please research this culture before making generalizations about the people of mexico.
please also research before starting a cruise by and thru here.

if in pacific you wish to bypass mexican waters, learn how far into pacific mexico claims and do not sail past coronado islands on the inside. make your trip many many miles longer by turning right out of point loma and keeping out of mexico at all costs.
make sure your boat is able to accomplish 2 THOUSAND miles without fuel or repairs of any kind.


*=this has already been posted in another forum and will be also in yet another.
i have corrected that which is pertinent. thankyou.

.

[zippy]

The best way to send a message to the Mexican government would be if all foreign cruisers left Mexico.

[skipmac]

Originally Posted by Seafrontiersman

I have to do business with Mexicans on a regular basis and I've seen for myself how corrupt, greedy, and sleezy they are!

Unlike the folks in the US that are universally honest and fair; like Bernie Madoff, Jeffrey Skilling, Ivan Boesky, Jack Abramoff, just to name some of the better known.

I have been doing business in Mexico for 20 years and certainly there is corruption and bribery but that is pretty much standard business practice everywhere on the planet outside the US, Canada, EU, NZ, AU, Japan and maybe one or two more I forgot to mention.

That being said, I have never had to pay any mordida for shipping and clearing cargo into Mexico.

[sww914]

I love Mexico so much. My boat is near Vallarta and it hasn't yet been "inspected". Nonetheless, I'm considering sailing out of Banderas bay, turning left, and not stopping until Costa Rica.

[zeehag]

i do not cultivate corruption nor do i practice malice towards mexico.

i have found mexico has been very beautiful.
kind and honest pèople who go out of their way to help and accept readily strangers into their families.
into their homes.
into their lives.
i have found more honesty and beauty in the locals where ever i have been than in the gringos occupying that space.
that, in itself, is a shame.

the only problems i have encountered in mexico have been from gringos with boats calling selves cruisers, but i have only been here for 3 1/2 years so what do i know.

[darylat8750]

"I started a used clothing business in Mexico and spent lots of time ,energy and money before being told I could not continue..I thought NAFTA was a two way street,Wrong! I found out right fast that the folks in charge down there do what they want ,when they want !! Good luck trying to convince the "mexican government" they are "hurting tourism"..Ha ha ha, what does Jim sing about "you dont spit into the wind,"you dont pull the mask off the old long ranger and you dont mess around with "the Mexican government"!! Good luck ,they are doing what they want to do when they want to do it and I dont think "We" will make any difference ..Dont mean to be pessamistic,I really do wish you good luck(your going to need it ,lots of it!)"

I wish you'll luck also. Horrible situation.

Mexican Government / bureaucracy is often (traditionally?) used to beat up on anyone they please for what ever reason. A lady that had a laundry business on Isla Mujeres had her license to do business revoked after she campaigned for the loosing mayoral candidate. A "friend of a Friend" has an import / export business and does business in Mexico. Anytime there is an election he stops all transactions until he figures out what greasing needs to be done. I think that most of the officials that you approach for help won't even understand why we think this is a big deal. Fact of life in some countries.

[Lake-Effect]

I had the pleasure of sharing an office with a Mexican ex-pat, and working online with a team from Mexico City, for most of last year. On the whole, my co-worker and the team were entirely pleasant to work with - courteous, earnest, fun-loving. It's made me very interested in visiting and maybe cruising Mexico.

Because of the shared border, and history, there seems to be more tension between Mexicans and Americans than with other countries. I'm sorry to see this thread starting to crash and burn, because I don't think that all the open hostility will improve those relations.

[darylat8750]

ZeeHag,

I too am afraid that publicly pushing on government egos will make things worse. I don't know what I would do if my boat was still there. Just leaving and trying to enter another country without a Zarpe may not be pretty....

I like the Mexican people. I have many life long Mexican friends. That doesn't mean the the Mexican Government can't/ hasn't made a grievous mistake. A huge percentage of the actions of the US government are offensive and embarrassing to me too.

[senormechanico]

Originally Posted by Seafrontiersman

Zee hag:

I'll start respecting Mexicans when they become worthy of respect.

Having pointed out the obvious, I agree thst when you are trapoed among them
I have to play their corrupt game and cultivate the miserable scum just as you do.

You obviously haven't cruised there.

That's like saying all US citizens are as corrupt as the politicians in the IRS, Congress and the Whitehouse.

NOT !

Our experiences there 20 years ago were pretty much like Zee's.

[zeehag]

the scary thing here is only what will become of those of us who didnt spit into wind or in other ways diss mexico and mexicans. there are so9 many o fus who are now shaking in boots because of the unnecessary bs going on here. this unnecessary bs is gringo initiated, if you look closely.
had gringos not broken mexican law
if gringos had not spoken out about breaking mexican law
had gringos not complained bitterly about being disconvenienced by mexican authorities
if gringos had not tried to bully mexico out of their own problems....
and so it goes.

yes we are scared. we are very very scared.
ALL of us here are scared. the only topic of conversation is
WHAT WILL MEXICO DO TO US AS PUNISHMENT FOR BEING GRINGO
now that this is ongoing.

thankyou for stirring this big huge pot.

there is nothing wrong with mexico ...there is a lot wrong with many who come here on their way to elsewhere.
there is even more wrong with those who badmouth a `place they have not chosen to go visit,
and even some who leave boats here without regard for the what happens to them until a rumor floats to surface..then oh so much interest...ok so when was last time you went to boat?? oh....8 years???? oohhhhkaaaayyyy.... i see true deep interest here....

[Teknav]

This thread needs to calm down a peg or two. Zee, it is NOT NICE to call your countrymen "Gringos"; it's degrading and shameful.

I have visited Mexico several times over the past 6 years, without a single issue. In fairness, some stuff that I have seen is not what I am used to seeing in the US. Government related issues take "forever" to resolve and "settle". "Greasing" your way out of a jam is blatantly expected; doable though. Despite its oil and tourism revenues, Mexico is a very poor country.

Nothing will be served by adding fuel to the fire. Patience is needed until all of the impounded boats are released. Once this is finalized, the end result should tell us whether to continue doing business with Mexico or not. In the meantime, let us sit tight and wait until this mess is resolved. Cool heads always prevail.

Mauritz
Slow down, McGuillicuddy!

[zeehag]

i am not terrified of the mexicans. i am terrified of the ignorant gringo VISITOR who cannot quit stirring pots in places not their homes.
i am comfortable in knowing i have totally advocated mexico without any disrespect, and continued my defence of a place with customs and legal bases different than my own.
i see no reason for others to not also have respect for places outside and different from usa.
to those who do not wish to come to mexico--STAY OUT.
to those who wish to cruise here--COME DOWN. IT IS LOVELY AND FOLKS ARE AWESOME
just have respect and follow rules and do not diss ANYTHING MEXICAN OR MEXICO.

[boatman61]

MmmmFfffff *&@$$&** Ffffffnnnggggg @$$HHHHlllssss URRGGHHhhhhhhhh

[David_Old_Jersey]

Originally Posted by goboatingnow

I would be surprised if theses letters gets any response, firstly it claims the actions are Illegal" on what basis is that claim being made

Secondly references are made continuously by this and other posters, about Napoleanic Law, clearly the posters know nothing about Napoleanic Law ( or Civil code). Under Napoleanic law you are clearly innocent until proven innocent, if fact Napoleon wrote the civil code to ensure the citizenry were protected from arbitrary remand, a situation that was common in france.

It should also be noted that Mexico deviates considerably from the Napoleanic Code,as do most countries at this stage.


I do not think the solution to this issue is advanced by claiming illegalities etc without any basis

dave

+1

Fair enuf on the claim of illegality if anyone has actually got written legal advise - but the tone of this (and other articles / threads) strongly suggests it is just folks making stuff up as they go along.

Anyway, how's that gunboat coming along?