Vacationing in gun free Mexico

[philip964]

https://news.yahoo.com/murders-mexico-r ... 38095.html

Mexican murders increased by 30% last year.

Story does not mention that privately owned guns are illegal and that there is only one gun store in Mexico and it is in the middle of a military base.

[KLB]

When my older daughter was in high school, I realized we'd never taken the girls to Mexico. My grandparents lived in McAllen, so I was taken across a lot as a child, and spent a few weeks with Mexican families when I was in high school. So, in two consecutive summers, we took our daughters to Nuevo Laredo and Matamoros. But that was in the mid 90s.

Those trips were fine, but we've not been back, and I'd not return. It's a shame.

[philip964]

https://www.news.com.au/travel/world-tr ... 01a23da44c

Tourist visiting Mexico is killed and organs stolen.

[Paladin]

https://www.news.com.au/travel/world-tr ... 01a23da44c

Tourist visiting Mexico is killed and organs stolen.

Interesting that this was in the Australian news. A quick search shows British, Korean, and Foxnews covered the story. Guess CNN was too busy in their "creativity" department to cover a story that's actually important to Americans.

Record 10.6 Million Tourists Visited Mexico in Q1 2018

More than 31 million Americans visited Mexico in 2016, the National Travel & Tourism Office says, and State Department data shows there were reports of 75 American homicide victims there. In comparison, 49 million Americans traveled to all other foreign countries, and 69 were reported killed by homicide.

US State Department on the five Mexican states that the State Department tells Americans not to visit:

“Gang activity, including gun battles, is widespread," the agency says. "Armed criminal groups target public and private passenger buses traveling through Tamaulipas, often taking passengers hostage and demanding ransom payments.”

[Ruark]

My wife keeps wanting to vacation in Mexico... No matter how many of these stories she still insists that we should take a vacation there. She is nostalgic for a 6 month internship she did there in college. Things have changed since then though, she doesn't get that.

I've also met several people who are in this state of denial. They plan trips down to central America going through Mexico in a motor home or some such idea, and say things like, "oh, don't be paranoid, I've been there many times and never felt like I was in any danger...."

I share other perceptions here, however. There's absolutely no point whatsoever in going to Mexico. Even a quick visit to a border town for souvenirs gets dull after about 30 minutes.

The poverty down there is striking if you're not used to it. We went to McAllen about 10 years ago and took a quick side trip into Reynosa (now a cartel hotbed). Rows and rows of teenage girls sat on the sidewalks, holding up cups, pretending to be crying and saying "penny, penny..." Some had plastic dolls rolled up in blankets to look like babies.

On our way out, a guy stepped out in front of our car holding up a quart mayonnaise jar that had some paint slopped on it. He tried to sell it to us for 10 cents. We almost ran over him.

A couple blocks later, two absolutely filthy little girls about 4 years old stood RIGHT in front of the car, vigorously gesturing for us to pull over and park, where a group of really scrubby looking guys were watching us. We yelled and angrily gestured to the kids to move the eff out of the way, and we were finally were able to get out of there.

Mexico is not a nice place.

[JRG]

My high school Spanish class in Dayton, TX took a trip to Monterrey, Mexico in 1969. We had zero problems other than a guy wanting to sell switchblade knives to us. Wasn't a problem for me being a 15 year old kid. I bought one.

We still go to Mexico over the Nogales, Arizona crossing to get dental work done. The dentist's office is one block from the crossing. We go there and straight back. no touristy stuff for us.

[philip964]

https://www.washingtontimes.com/news/20 ... -acapulco/

American anarchist shot dead in Gun free Mexico.

If your an anarchist, I assume you want other people to die.

[PriestTheRunner]

Relevant to this thread: https://www.foxnews.com/world/tijuana-i ... eport-says

The most violent city in the world is apparently right along the southern border of the United States.

The border city of Tijuana was ranked the most violent city in the world last year -- and was one of four cities in Mexico to make the list's top five, according to a newly released report.

Tijuana topped the list with 138 killings per 100,000 Tijuana residents, averaging about seven per day, the report said. The border city is where local gangs have been battling over a "lucrative domestic drug market," according to the Los Angeles Times, which first reported on the findings.

Rounding out the top five most dangerous cities in the report were two locations in northern Mexico: Ciudad Victoria in Tamaulipas and Ciudad Juarez in Chihuahua. There were 86 killings and 85 murders per 100,000 people in those locations, respectively.

In total, there were 15 Mexican cities on the list of 50, more than any other country in the world, according to the Times. That number has risen from 5 cities making the list in 2015.

The report also noted how Mexico has replaced Brazil by having the largest amount of dangerous cities in the world, despite having a smaller population.

[philip964]

Relevant to this thread: https://www.foxnews.com/world/tijuana-i ... eport-says

The most violent city in the world is apparently right along the southern border of the United States.

The border city of Tijuana was ranked the most violent city in the world last year -- and was one of four cities in Mexico to make the list's top five, according to a newly released report.

Tijuana topped the list with 138 killings per 100,000 Tijuana residents, averaging about seven per day, the report said. The border city is where local gangs have been battling over a "lucrative domestic drug market," according to the Los Angeles Times, which first reported on the findings.

Rounding out the top five most dangerous cities in the report were two locations in northern Mexico: Ciudad Victoria in Tamaulipas and Ciudad Juarez in Chihuahua. There were 86 killings and 85 murders per 100,000 people in those locations, respectively.

In total, there were 15 Mexican cities on the list of 50, more than any other country in the world, according to the Times. That number has risen from 5 cities making the list in 2015.

The report also noted how Mexico has replaced Brazil by having the largest amount of dangerous cities in the world, despite having a smaller population.

I wish stories like this would just say just once “By the way, guns are completely banned by law in this country”

[philip964]

https://www.thesun.co.uk/news/9446065/m ... -each-day/

94 murders every day. Lots of pictures of police patrolling tourist beaches with black semi automatic rifles. Why would you need one of those?

I wish stories like this would just say just once “By the way, guns are completely banned by law in this country”

[joe817]

Here is what the State Department has to say about traveling to Mexico:

"Exercise increased caution in Mexico due to crime and kidnapping. Some areas have increased risk. Read the entire Travel Advisory.

Violent crime, such as homicide, kidnapping, carjacking, and robbery, is widespread.

The U.S. government has limited ability to provide emergency services to U.S. citizens in many areas of Mexico as travel by U.S. government employees to these areas is prohibited or significantly restricted.

U.S. government employees may not travel between cities after dark, may not hail taxis on the street, and must rely on dispatched vehicles, including from app-based services like Uber, or those from regulated taxi stands. U.S. government employees may not drive from the U.S.-Mexico border to or from the interior parts of Mexico with the exception of daytime travel within Baja California, and between Nogales and Hermosillo on Mexican Federal Highway 15D.

Read the Safety and Security section on the country information page.

Do Not Travel to:

Colima state due to crime.
Guerrero state due to crime.
Michoacán state due to crime.
Sinaloa state due to crime.
Tamaulipas state due to crime and kidnapping.

https://travel.state.gov/content/travel ... exico.html

And guess where me and the Mrs. are going to at the end of July? Yup. Mexico! Actually, we are taking a 5 day cruise with stops in Cozemel and Progreso. Those 2 are not on the "do not go there" list.

[03Lightningrocks]

In the past those have been considered "safe" zones but it sure seems safe zones no longer exist in Mexico. Most of the serious crime use to be the border cities.

Good luck on your cruise and be safe.

[joe817]

In the past those have been considered "safe" zones but it sure seems safe zones no longer exist in Mexico. Most of the serious crime use to be the border cities.

Good luck on your cruise and be safe.

Thanks! We are really looking forward to it.

[philip964]

https://www.apnews.com/c197a3ee34834ea69f745975fa632ea2

Mexico sets new murder record for the first half of the year.

Did I mention guns are illegal in Mexico.

There is one gun store in the entire country and it’s located on a military base.

[LDB415]

I wouldn't travel anywhere south of our border even if it was a free trip.