Posted on 01/26/2005 4:07:53 PM PST by fidelio
WASHINGTON (AP) - The State Department on Wednesday issued a travel warning for Americans visiting Mexico, saying violent criminal activity, including murder and kidnaping, has increased in its northern border region.
"U.S. citizens should be aware of the risk posed by the deteriorating security situation," the department said in a public announcement. It added that the great majority of victims are Mexican citizens.
The announcement attributed the increased crime to a war between criminal organizations struggling for control of the lucrative narcotics trade. It said the leaders of several major criminal organizations have been arrested, creating a power vacuum.
"This has resulted in a wave of violence aimed primarily at members of those trafficking organizations and criminal justice officials," the announcement said.
Well it's actually pretty sad because many of the people in Mexico are very friendly and go out of their way to help tourists --- I always thought I'd pick Mexico over France or most of Europe for that reason. And the store owners are desperate for the business of Americans which has dried up for them --- they don't even harass you to buy from them --- it's actually nicer in that way to shop over there. It used to be that Americans living along the border would take visiting relatives and friends over to Mexico for shopping and eating --- but the border area has become quite dangerous --- and I don't any more and most of the Americans have left the border area. I will still go over there into the interior --- but I will read the Travel Warnings carefully before I do.
Not long ago --- 20 to 30 years ago most of Mexico was very safe to travel into. The rate it's coming unglued is amazing.
I was really wondering why any American would travel in Mexico. I'll go to a border town during the day and not get past the first block but that's as far as I'll go. It's bedlam down there!
thats why I like Puerto Rico.
Just as warm in the winter, and part of the U.S.A.
way safer!
"She'll be cleaning up. I'll bet the whining from the losers weeded out will be beyond what we've been treated to before. The New York Times should be a stitch as they wax indignant over the travesty of it all."
The whining from the masses of asses soon to be departing from State will make the whining of the asses leaving the CIA seem very small.
http://www.hotel-online.com/News/PR2004_3rd/Jul04_Cancun.html
U.S. State Department Issues Travel Warning for Cancun;
Political Turmoil Has not Affected Tourism...Yet
By Laurence Iliff, The Dallas Morning News
Knight Ridder/Tribune Business News
July 28, 2004 - MEXICO CITY -- For decades, Cancun has sold itself to Americans as a slice of Americana with a Caribbean beach and 18-year-old drinking age. Signs are in English. The dollar is king. Streets are safe, lawns are groomed, buildings are modern.
Now, U.S. and Mexicans authorities are concerned over the encroachment of imperfect Mexico on the nation's No. 1 resort, a fantasy land of hotels, restaurants and night clubs.
The U.S. State Department issued a travel warning after the City Council resigned this month and the mayor was ousted in the larger municipality of Benito Juarez, where most locals live, speak Spanish, and use the peso. Cancun lies within Benito Juarez.
U.S. authorities expressed concern over violent demonstrations following the political power struggle earlier this month, as angry city workers demanded to be paid and the ousted mayor, Juan Ignacio Garcia, set up what he called a "parallel government."
"Americans traveling to Cancun should use caution and avoid crowds, especially around the city hall and the Plaza de la Reforma, as there is a potential for spontaneous violence," the U.S. travel warning stated.
Street protests are common in Mexico -- and in such resort cities as Acapulco and Puerto Vallarta -- but not in picture-perfect Cancun. Locals refer to the resort as the "hotel zone" to distinguish it from the neighboring city, which draws few foreigners.
Previous State Department travel warnings for Cancun have focused on the dangers of excessive drinking, sexual assault by other tourists, and a local serial rapist -- who police later said was caught.
Mexican authorities, on the other hand, are alarmed about the latest U.S. warning and the perception that the nation's political tumult could affect tourism.
On Tuesday, Interior Minister Santiago Creel, Foreign Minister Luis Ernesto Derbez and Tourism Minister Rodolfo Elizondo asked the U.S. State Department and the U.S. ambassador to Mexico, Tony Garza, to repeal the warning.
"We talked with the American State Department, and we indicated that this is a local political issue that is being resolved and will have no effect ... on the vacations of foreign tourists," Mr. Derbez told reporters.
The head of the NH hotel chain in Mexico, Francisco Medina, said the political turmoil in Cancun has not affected tourism there but could if it is not resolved in coming weeks and months.
"This could become a problem if the disturbances continue," Mr. Medina said from the chain's hotel in Cancun. Right now, he added, "Hotel occupancy is at its upper limit."
BUMP
My last trip to Mexico in '79 was my last. I got sicker than I've ever been at the upscale Acapulco Princess and have never considered returning.
On an earlier trip to Baja, we ended up in the emergency room in the middle of the night thanks to a traffic accident. It was disgustingly feelthy, though the staff was sincere and hardworking. Wounds were washed by women with bare hands from basins filled with tap water! Before they could treat the driver of our car, the police came in and dragged him back to the scene of the "crime" 25 miles away, in spite of the fact that he needed dozens of stitches, which had to wait until they impounded the car.
Having an accident is considered a crime in Mexico. It's a lousy place.
We did the annual Rosarito-Ensenada bike ride in 98, 99, and 00. Brought the kids down one year and my son who was five at the time said, "Why would ANYONE want to live in Mexico?!"
L.O.L.....travel warning for citizens to Mexico???...Why would any American with half a brain travel to Mexico???....just look down the block...you can see all of Mexico you ever wanted to.....
By your thinking, there's no reason for Americans to travel to different parts of this country since they're already in it.
Thousands travel to Mexico no matter how much that fact may displease you.
My hope mechanism is triggered by reality.
Doofus...if I want to see Mexicans.....I can scan down the block in front of my house....I don't need to travel over 1000 miles to see them....
I understood what you meant. Why did you feel you had to call names?
You wrapped your complaint on having to view Mexicans down the street (the HORROR!) with a query of why anyone would travel to Mexico.
Both idiotic "thoughts".
sorry....doofus.
So far I have not seen any of Maddy's daddy's influence in Dr. Rice's positions, have you? Perhaps being an expert on the insiders "up here" - you could share some facts that I am unaware of. This would be interesting. TIA
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