There is crime everywhere. There is no indication this has anything to do with the drug trade. It probably isn’t a good idea to sleep outdoors in ANY PLACE you aren’t familiar with. We have been to Mexico many times. Never felt unsafe. Now would I go to one of the border-area war zones? Not on your life, but Cancun, Cabo, and other tourist regions are no more dangerous than Chicago.
Hotel was filled with drunk spring breakers.
I’ve visited there as well and even though this might not have been Cartel behavior, tourists are preyed upon every day regardless of where you are in Mexico. Last year someone tried to pickpocket me in Tequila. Even relatives of mine who live there advise against wearing jewelry, and straying away from tourist spots. The cops there aren’t your friend.
“There is crime everywhere. There is no indication this has anything to do with the drug trade. It probably isn’t a good idea to sleep outdoors in ANY PLACE you aren’t familiar with. We have been to Mexico many times. Never felt unsafe. Now would I go to one of the border-area war zones? Not on your life, but Cancun, Cabo, and other tourist regions are no more dangerous than Chicago.”
According the the press down there, you’re wrong. These reports can be found. We haven’t had any beheadings in Chicago...yet. They’ve had several in Cancun & Cabo.
Keyword: NAFBPO
Here’s the one from today.
NATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF FORMER BORDER PATROL OFFICERS
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Foreign News Report
The National Association of Former Border Patrol Officers (NAFBPO) extracts and condenses the material that follows from Mexican and Central and South American on-line media sources on a daily basis. You are free to disseminate this information, but we request that you credit NAFBPO as being the provider.
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El Universal (Mexico City) 3/29/10
10 youths executed in Durango
A group of 10 youths traveling in a pickup en route to receive education assistance in southern Durango state came upon a false check point presumably manned by narcotraffickers. Preliminary reports are that when the group refused to stop, they were attacked with grenades and all were killed. The youthful victims were listed as: four brothers, 19, 17, 13 and 11; two brothers 21 and 19; two girls, 8 and 15; and two boys, 15 and 16. The federal Secretary of Government, Fernando Gomez Mont, condemned the crime, calling it a “brutal act” and that “the federal government shares the pain of the Mexican families”
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El Financiero (Mexico City) 3/29/10
Fear follows families to Texas
[Apparently reporting from Fort Hancock, Texas] Many Mexican families are settled in the areas down river from El Paso, Texas, or have sent their children across to escape the fear of living in the violent areas around Cd Juárez, just across the river. Nevertheless, the fear comes with them. Criminal gangs have followed and use subtle tactics of intimidation. The message is, “We know you are here.” In the schools of Fort Hancock and other Texas towns, it is already a routine to counsel students about matters of security and to help those who have lost their parents. ”I have friends whose parents have been assassinated,” said one of the high schoolers, “It’s traumatic.” He no longer feels safe in the schools. ”I try to remain calm, but everything frightens me a lot.”
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El Imparcial (Hermosillo, Sonora) 3/28/10
Five police arrested for trying to free prisoner
Federal authorities reported the arrest of five municipal police agents from San Pedro Garza Garcia, Nuevo Leon, who attempted to free an arrested cocaine dealer. Mexican soldiers were assisting the agents with a convoy in transporting the narco. En route to the Department of Justice offices, the driver of the vehicle containing the prisoner and five policemen reportedly gave a “hand salute” to the military escort and attempted to flee. Immediately the convoy came under attack, in which two soldiers and a civilian were wounded. After they repelled the attackers, the military captured the fleeing police at a checkpoint.
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Same about the Philippines. I have been there many times and never felt unsafe. There are, however, places I would not go to, day or night.
You need to update your information.
I agree. I’ve been to Cabo and Mazatlan and wandered all over at all hours, and didn’t even get stink eye from the locals. Speaking okay Spanish helps too.
OTOH, I could tell some stories about amazing help given gratis without question when my son got stuck up on some cliffs while going off the trail on the way up to the lighthouse at Mazatlan. People helped without any thought about us being gringo tourists or expecting a damn thing in return.
Is Mexico dangerous along the border? No doubt. But would I stay away from Cabo, Mazatlan, Cancun etc? Nope. I’d go tomorrow, with my family.