Mexico, Violence and Safety

[John A]

Please read Latitude 38's latest comments on Safety in Mexico Compared to the US or even the Virgin Islands.

www.latitude38.com/lectronic/LectronicLat.lasso.

[Rou-Coo]

Originally Posted by ReMetau

This should be kept in context. The US had over 1,000 murders per month in 2009 too.

And this should make me want to go?

In fact, while the US does have a considerable problem of its own with violent crime, the per capita murder rate in Mexico is approximately three times that of the US. Of course, Mexico's rate is about one third of that of Jamaica or Venezuela.

As I said in my earlier post: That doesn't mean that each individual is going to be harmed. That isn't the nature of violence. But if you are assessing risk, you should look at the real facts, as opposed to anecdotes, and make your decision accordingly.

[NewSailor]

Mexico is a big country.
There is increased violence at the border towns from Texas inland to California.
There is also a state in Mexico inland where there has been increased violence and Mexico City is also bad.

But that is only a small part of Mexico. Stay off the border (sailboat doesn't doesn't work too good there), out of Mexico City (dark place), and you are fine.

Mexico is a great country with alot to do and see there.

[cchesley]

I've grown a bit more wary as I've been watching the various news clips and some blogs. However, the vast majority of it is between various drug lords AND against the government figures (police, judges, mayors, etc) and mostly only in disputed drug territory.

Fundamentally, even the drug lords know to keep the tourist areas relatively safe as bad publicity would bring the government's wrath down hard. That's not to say that there isn't the occ'l drive by where there are collateral victims. By the same token, you can get run over by a wild driver or be involved in a tragic car wreck. That's actually more likely.

Keep in tune with the local 'knowledge' and you shouldn't even experience anything that disrupts your time there. "Shouldn't" is the operative word. You pays your money and takes your chances. As for small time thieves and crooks they are no more nor less likely to bother you. In fact, to some extent, for the above mentioned reasons, the drug lords probably would put the hurt on the little operators just on principle. You might even be safer.... go figure!

Caveat: Never been cruising in Mexico, but just my current thinking. Have visited a couple times though.

[daddle]

Mexico is terrible. As a cruising destination it's over. Do not go there. Nobody goes there anymore as the marinas, anchorages, and palapas are too crowded.

[rebel heart]

Originally Posted by daddle

Mexico is terrible. As a cruising destination it's over. Do not go there. Nobody goes there anymore as the marinas, anchorages, and palapas are too crowded.

[Reckless]

Some years back rent cars picked up at the airport that were obviously rent cars because the companies so marked them were targeted for Miami criminals to hijack. The gang was eventually busted but their logic was that tourist coming to Miami would have plenty of cash and because they came in on a plane they would not be armed. IE: read easy target.

When ever I rent a vehicle the first thing I do is remove all their stickers and crap off the car. I have been doing this for years, most rental companies now are getting good at not marking up their cars for that exact reason. Why add a target, same when I travel, I remove the targets. My wife and I have wedding bands we travel with simple titanium bands, they look like steel so nothing fancy, we keep the good ones at home. They were cheap off Ebay.
If we are in a questionable area, we also dress appropriate, don't bring out the nice camera, flash money etc.

Most tourists who become victims, stand out.

I was recently in Vegas, a young couple who had obviously been drinking were very happy they just won $8500 at the casino and had no problems showing my wife and me the stack of cash they had. We were complete strangers passing on the sidewalk at 2am. Had I been the criminal type it would have been an easy score.

I have been to Mexico many times and have never not felt safe. However I am always aware of my surroundings, if we leave the "resort" areas we dress down, don't iron our clothes and don't carry the expensive things thieves want to take.

Learning some of the language is also beneficial, the typical tourist doesn't take the time to learn the language of where they are visiting and with the increasing number of Ex-Pats around, it will make you look like an Ex-pat living there rather then the tourist who is there for 7 days.

[svcambria]

I just want to see what the knowledge is on this board about the safety in Mexico recently. The news is full of violence in Mexico and if there was ever a "come rob me flag" being flown it would be a foreign cruiser coming into Mexico from sea with the absurd gun laws in Mexico. I do not see how a cruiser has a chance.

It's all true, new arrivals should just - not arrive. The situation can only be handled by people who have been here a while and know the ins and outs, and crowding up the anchorages and marinas from the influx from up north doesn't help. We will let you know when it's safe...

Michael

[markpierce]

So, I suppose one should just go on cruise ships and take advantage of their guided tours? I've never experienced safety issues on those itineraries.

[svcambria]

Nobody goes there anymore as the marinas, anchorages, and palapas are too crowded.

Yogi Berra!

Michael

[BlueSeas]

There are still a lot of American (and European) tourist that go to Mexico. If the crime problem was targeted at tourist, the numbers would be pasted all over the media. The bulk of the crime is within the drug cartels and against people wanting to interfere with their business such as government officials and reporters.

Generally speaking, use the same common sense that has kept you safe in any other foreign country and you should be just as safe.

Avoid high crime areas, don't do anything the drug lords would interpret as competition or an effort to interfere with their business and you should be fine.

Keep in mind that Americans consume 99% of their product. They love us!

[CAELESTIS]

We should all flee the USA because more people were murdered in Detroit last year than soldiers in Iraq. Then add in Atlanta, NYC, Chicago, LA etc . . . .

[LucasM]

In my 7 year relationship with a mexican citizen We have traveled to Mexico at least once a year often for over 2 months at a time. Not just to the touristed Mexico but also the harsher, realer Mexico found inland staying with family and making friends with locals. Out of the few times we witnessed violence it was in no way ever directed at us or did we feel it would be. I would just as happily walk down a Mexican street as I would any other city in North America. I say enjoy the beautiful country and coastline.

[John A]

The choice is yours,.
Whether to stay in the comfort zone you've adjusted to from a lifetime of protected urban life, never expanding your collection of friends, never doing something that hasn't met the approval of your peers, or straying from the norms of what you've come to consider polite society.
Or to decide that your life is somehow missing something and its time to see if there might be a way to look at the world from a slightly different angle. To do something just for the adventure of doing it!
When you really go cruising you've got to accept the fact that, dang, this is different than anything I've ever done before. Your going to meet people from different cultures, the people from were you were just at, are not the same as those that will be waiting at your next destanation. Your going to find that fellow cruisiers are from every walk of life and even from different countries than you.
Your enjoyment will depend on your attitude, you can either listen to all the negative stuff that other people claim to be the truth, and stress out about all the crap that could happen to you or you can join in the rich experience of doing something you've never done before.
Why go cruising if you're going to stress out about all the things that could, maybe happen?
The chose is yours,

[sww914]

I've been to Mexico a great many times. When we had no health insurance we drove there (7 hours) 3-4 times a year to buy prescription drugs at about the cost of a co-pay here. I've surfed all up & down Northern Baja. I've gone there for dental work. I've gone there to buy furniture. I have many friends there. I have never seen a bit of violence, except for 2 drunk gringoes fighting outside a bar. I have always felt exactly as safe there as in Los Angeles. Some places you don't want to be after dark, almost no matter where we're talking about. I consider myself pretty brave. Shucks, I've surfed a 30' wave, that was scary.
Recent news stories, however accurate, have just about scared me away from one of the world's most beautiful countries. This thread had helped me a lot towards being unafraid to travel there again.
The fact is that Mexicans, overall, are nicer than Americans in my experience.
When my wife was in a wheelchair we visited Puerto Vallarta for a month. A month is long enough to get a realistic feel for a place.
Here's what I saw.
In the US, when you're in a wheelchair you become invisible. People don't want to relate to you, it's as if you're contagious.
Sometimes as we were navigating the wheelchair I got her stuck. I couldn't push or pull the wheelchair to free it. Here in the US, people would walk right by, looking the other way as though we weren't even there. Nobody ever tried to help me when I couldn't get her up a curb.
In Puerto Vallarta I got her stuck once right on the main drag along the beach, The Malecon. The curb was too high and I just couldn't get the chair up it. It was raining and the traffic was crazy. A Mexican guy in a business suit across the street dropped his briefcase on the sidewalk, ran across 5 lanes of traffic, and helped my pull the chair up the curb. We thanked and thanked him. He said it was nothing. Anyone would do the same thing.
Wow! That didn't ever happen here.
My son is a dwarf. He's the same type of dwarf as the boy on the TV show Little People Big World. He's 13 now. He's a very good looking, charming boy. I am proud to be his father.
In the US, we get a lot of staring. Some people have even done such a poor job of raising their children that they allow their kinds to make mean, hurtful remarks loud enough for everyone to hear. Kids in public have called my boy a freak. They've pointed and laughed and as far as I was able to see their parents didn't discipline them at all. We've even had people try to "pray over us" so that Jesus could heal my son. I told them that they were really messed up and that there is nothing wrong with my kid at all. We've had people ask what sin we committed that we deserved this. I told them that the next sin I will commit will be murder.
Quite a contrast with Mexico.
Many people have stopped us to talk about our son in Mexico. The theme is much the same. They will tell us either in Spanish or English that our son is a normal kid, just like everyone else, and that we are lucky that we were chosen to raise a special kid and explain to us that our job as parents is very important. They think we are required to do a better job as parents because our son is more valuable than an average kid.
They are right.
Shop keepers in Mexico would probably 50% of the time give my boy something for free. Now these aren't rich people, but they really want to be kind to somebody who's different. It didn't just happen a few times, but most of the time.
I love Mexico.
I'm going back.