Mexico

Mexico is a popular vacation spot with its beautiful beaches and warm weather. White sands and blue waters entice tourists from all over the U.S. A trip to Mexico can be an inexpensive vacation or honeymoon.

I have known many to go vacation in Mexico and done just fine. But I have known others who weren't as lucky. Many have heard horror stories of things that have happened to Americans traveling south of the border. This is not intended to be a deterrent from going to Mexico. As a smart traveler you need to aware of the danger.


Crime is a reality for American tourists in many places. But recently, things have become a lot worse in Mexico . Violent criminal activity, fueled by a war between criminal organizations struggling for control of the lucrative narcotics trade, continues along the U.S.-Mexico border. The conditions in Juarez, Mexico, have been serious for a long time as more than 410 persons have been slain in that city this year, most as part of a war between competing drug cartels. Many police have been killed. The warning to all residents, pleading actually, is just stay off the streets. They cannot stop the fighting and killing.


Americans have been raped, robbed and murdered while visiting Mexico. Many tourists who go to Cancun and other popular resorts are not often victimized. But veering off the beaten path even a little can be extremely dangerous. Widespread police corruption is a big part of the problem. Most all police are crooks. They do accept bribes. If fact, if you get stopped for something, offer them a $100 bill, and most times you can walk away.

An alarming number of Americans are being attacked in taxies, on buses, some even on the beach. Yet most visitors to Mexico know nothing about the crimes there or how to protect themselves. Mexico is in the midst of a massive crime wave brought on by a severe economic crisis. These are not the pictures you'll see in the travel brochures, but this is reality in Mexico these days.


Local news cameras last year watched armed bandits work in the open, using their guns to stop cars so they could rob the passengers. On another street, a team of muggers operates with apparent impunity, leaving a man unconscious in broad daylight. Just 15 minutes later, the same group attacks another victim, and during it all, a police officer stands just a few yards away. They have guns and it is illegal for you to have a gun.


Cab rides often result in muggings, robbing you of your cash and credit cards and severe harm if don’t give them your pin numbers to your cards. State Department now warns travelers to never hail a cab on the street.


Often tourists are forced into cars or vans, driven around and beaten and robbed, and kicked out in some unknown and often bad part of town, left with nothing but their clothes. No money, no ID, often injured and scared and no where to turn for help.

Carol Schlosberg was raped and murdered last month - just last month - on a beach just outside the resort of Puerto Escondido. Carol went for a walk on the beach shortly after noon. It was on of her favorite things to do. They believe Carol was attacked because she walked alone. Mexican women will never travel anywhere by themselves. They always go with a companion - another woman, a friend or whatever. You may notice they still do that when here in the US...a habit I guess. They know better than to do that because these things to happen. Lone women and even pairs of women should be very cautious about going to isolated beach spots.


Bandits occasionally hold up buses, cars and other vehicles on intercity routes, especially at night, taking luggage or valuables. Sometimes buses are robbed by people who board as passengers. The best ways to avoid highway robbery are to travel by day and to travel on toll highways as much as possible. Deluxe and 1st-class buses use toll highways, where they exist; 2nd-class buses do not.

Pocket-picking and purse snatching are risks on crowded buses, subway trains, at bus stops, bus stations, airports, markets, packed streets and plazas, and anywhere frequented by large number of tourists - especially in Mexico City and other large cities. Pickpockets often work in team, crowding in on their victims in already crowded places like markets or city buses; one or two of them may grab your bag or camera (or arm or leg), and while your are trying to get free another will pick your pocket. Or one may "drop" something as a crowd jostles onto a bus and, as he or she "looks for it," a pocket will be picked or a bag slashed. The objective is to distract you. If your valuables are underneath your clothing, the chances of losing them are greatly reduced.



Leave most of your money, credit cards, passport, jewelry and air tickets in a sealed, signed envelope in your hotel’s safe, unless you have immediate need of these items. Virtually all hotels, except the very cheapest, provide safekeeping for guests’ valuables.

If you have to leave money, cards or checks in your room, divide them into several stashes and hide them in different places.

Carry a small amount of ready money – just enough for the outing you’re on – in a pocket. If you have to carry valuables, avoid making your pockets bulge with them, and preferably keep them in a money belt, shoulder wallet or pouch underneath your clothing.

Walk with purpose and be alert to people around you.

Don’t keep cash, credit cards, purses, bags or cameras in open view any longer than you have to. At ticket counters in bus stations and airports, keep your bag between your feet.

Use ATMs only in secure locations, not those open to the street, and try to use them during daylight.

Do not drive if you can avoid it. Many bad things can happen when you are driving in Mexico.


Don’t accept lifts offered by strangers.

Be careful about accepting food or drinks from strangers, especially in resort cities and on buses; there have been cases of drugging followed by robbery and assault, including sexual assault.

Go easy on alcohol: it reduces your awareness and reactions and makes you an easier victim.

Be wary of attempts at credit-card fraud. One method is when the cashier swipes your card twice (once for the transaction and once for nefarious purposes). Keep your card in sight at all times.

The poverty is severe in Mexico. 20 million people in Mexico live on less than two dollars a day. Sixty million people, half the Mexican population, live in poverty, and 20 million of them live in extreme poverty. Most of the time, garbage is their food, and some days, they don't even eat anything. Folks, it is awful. And getting worse. And the worse it gets, the more tourists are at risk - at risk from those who are just mean and at risk from those just trying to survive.



The poverty in Mexico is literally “beyond belief.” That is why we have so many illegal’s working for so little here. It is way better than what they know back home.


For example, the lower middle class in Mexico cannot dream of buying a home because not only do they not have enough money to buy it up front ,no one will lend them money. The country doesn't enjoy the loan mechanisms we enjoy here. The minimum wage is so low that it is impossible to provide for a family on minimum wage alone. The unemployment is over 30%. Over 6 million unemployed workers and growing everyday. Services and sanitation are not very good. The adult literacy rate is only 87%. The mean years of schooling for a Mexican is only 4.7 years. Nearly half of Mexico's population lives below the poverty line. That is about 42 million people living in poverty. 4.5 million people in Mexico are homeless. This number does not include the millions who live in subhuman conditions with no services such as water ,electricity or sewage.

Conditions are very bad in most of Mexico. These conditions are not easily seen from the tourist location, but be sure they are there, and the criminals and those desperate to eat and survive will not think twice about taking what is yours. So be safe out there.



Hope this summer brings you a good vacation somewhere safe....Ric