Posted on 11/19/2007 2:42:14 PM PST by SwinneySwitch
EL PASO, Texas -- According to the U.S. State Department, crime in Mexico continues at high levels, and it is often violent, especially in Mexico City, Tijuana, Ciudad Juarez, Nuevo Laredo, and Monterrey.
Some Borderland residents said they do not cross the border for safety reasons.
“I don't like to go. I rather stay here in the states where I know I'm safer,” said Crystal Villalba of the Lower Valley.
“I don’t go because my parents don’t let me. They say, ‘You're going to die or they're going to kidnap you,’” said Miguel Zavala of Horizon.
U.S. citizen who are victims of crime in Mexico are encouraged to report the incident to the nearest police headquarters and to the nearest U.S. consular office.
The U.S. State Department’s Web site has warnings for Americans traveling to Mexico. While there have been kidnappings and homicide in the border region, drug-related violence has increased dramatically in recent months.
Juarez and Tijuana are listed on the state department website as having a rising number of car crashes in which police ask Americans for money.
It seems most people KFOX spoke with had a story about Juarez police.
“They (friends) were drunk driving, and one of the cops stopped them. They were scared, and the cop told them, 'Give me $60 and I'll let you go,'” said Zavala.
“A cop stopped her (mom) and she wasn't doing anything wrong. He said she was speeding and that she had to write him a check so that he wouldn't give her a ticket,” said Villalba.
The government says it cannot accurately track whether there has been an increase in crimes against Americans in Mexico because so few report them.
http://www.wcbd.com/midatlantic/cbd/news.apx.-content-articles-CBD-2007-11-09-0012.html
Ping for the wife to read.
U.S. or Mexican citizens?
Old Mexico!
If you want on, or off this S. Texas/Mexico ping list, please FReepMail me.
I wonder how the violence has affected the numbers of Anglos who cross the river to go to Boystown?
I remember him telling people to stay the hell out of Mexico, and he had people who were victimized there on all the time. He also warned about California becoming a Marxist third-world hellhole.
I haven't even thought about Ken Hamblin for years, and have no idea what happened to him, but he sure did hit the x-ring a few times.
Last summer I crossed over with native Laredo friends, for dinner at the Cadillac Bar. It was creepy, we were almost the only ones in the place which could seat 100s. For sure, we were the only gringos. My friends still do a “U-turn crossing” to shop for liquor and smokes duty free, but they rarely if ever go into NL iteslf.
As impossible as it sounds, there is at least some possibility that Mexico could devolve into a civil war. Right now, there are four or five proto-insurrections taking place, and the drug gangs could put billions of dollars into financing chaos.
Much potential trouble was averted in the last Presidential elections, though, even though the socialist loser tried to overturn the result with a “people power” rebellion. But as things stand now, only a major crisis and a significant collapse in government could bring one about.
Chavez of Venezuela and Cuba could begin a campaign of destabilization, and disruptions to the economy in the form of a bombing and sabotage campaign could also contribute.
Prolly the safest place to be and lowest crime rate, unless you count getting rolled after having to drink mexican beer and lousy tequila sunrises.
Besides, American hookers have families to feed too.
snort!
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