I don’t think it is worth all the hoopla, but, the key thing to remember is: When you are not in the USA, our rules do not apply, no matter how stupid, oppressive, or nonsensical the rules of the host country are, they apply.
That is probably a 20 dollar sign, not even worth a slap on the hand in the USA.
In another country, it could be a year in jail. And the Embassy might be able to help you, or they might not. Anyone who has ever spent time in the military knows this: if you do something to break local laws, you are going to be largely on your own.
They told us this in the context of drug use, but there is no doubt it applies across the board. Including damaging property, no matter how innocuous it might seem to us.
Right or wrong, that is how it is, and it is well to keep it in mind when traveling.
Exactly right.
One can be an honorable ambassador representing us diligently or one can be a prat out drunk on the town prat falling. Take you pick. This is someone (a millionaire, BTW) who I’ll not defend in the name of “America, F@ck Yeah”....
Let me ask you this. Do you think four armed off duty Rio Police officers hang out at a Gas Station to provide "Security"?
Perhaps for the average traveler but Brazil doesn’t need the bad press on a big shot medal Olympian who has brought every new and celebrity camera in the world to focus on this. Bottom line, do they really want to put 3 American Swim Team members in some hell hole for a year over a sign that can be screwed back into a wall in 10 minutes flat? Do they really need the bad publicity? They’ve already lost untold numbers of tourists now that there’s no question about their polluted beaches and low life scum mugging police. Press this and they’ll lose more tourists. It’s Brazil who has a black eye in this. Keep at it and they’ll have two black eyes and a butt beating. They’ve lost a lot more than that $11k. Temer and Paez can’t be that stupid.
The fact is that the USA seems to be wildly unpopular outside of the USA.
Outside our borders and to the surprise of many prideful and obnoxious Americans we find we are not rock stars after all, but prey for authorities and for scandal.
Look at Mexico. Their methods of extortion of tourists are legendary and have been so for a hundred years.
Yep.
Right or wrong, that is how it is, and it is well to keep it in mind when traveling.
Without a doubt.