Mexico safe?
Aug 1st, 2005, 02:52 PM
#1
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Mexico safe?
Did anyone see the CNN report last week on Mexico? My mother called to tell me they reported that Mexico is not a safe place to visit at this time due to potential terrorist activity (that's what she thought she heard). Any truth to this?
Aug 1st, 2005, 04:24 PM
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Well, my wife and I just spent a week traveling, Toluca, Taxco, Curenavaca, Toluca. Didn't see any terrorists. Haven't seen any during the past fifteen years in Mexico either. Obviously there are dangerous places, i.e. Nuevo Laredo across the Texas border, high crime in Mexico City etc. Most destinations in Mexico are fine and quite safe. Research the area you want to go to, make an informed choice and you will, most likely, have a great time.
!
Aug 2nd, 2005, 06:00 AM
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It is partially correct, but the "threat" does not come from terrorism.
Border towns (Tijuana, Ciudad Juarez and Nuevo Laredo in particular) have seen a significant increase in drug-traffic related violence. Tourists are not targets, but the State department advises that "innocent bystanders may be caught in crossfire". The probability of this is VERY remote, but it does exist.
I'd say that, with those exceptions, Mexico (as a country) is not any unsafer at this time. If you are planning on going, I'd say you should keep your plans. Terrorism is NOT and should NOT be a concern.
Border towns (Tijuana, Ciudad Juarez and Nuevo Laredo in particular) have seen a significant increase in drug-traffic related violence. Tourists are not targets, but the State department advises that "innocent bystanders may be caught in crossfire". The probability of this is VERY remote, but it does exist.
I'd say that, with those exceptions, Mexico (as a country) is not any unsafer at this time. If you are planning on going, I'd say you should keep your plans. Terrorism is NOT and should NOT be a concern.
Aug 2nd, 2005, 08:16 AM
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This link
http://travel.state.gov/travel/cis_p...w/tw_1764.html
will show you the current travel warnings issued by the U.S. State Department, advising Americans not to travel to certain countries. It must be updated frequently because the most recent entry on the list (Bosnia-Herzegovina) is tagged with yesterday's date. There are currently 27 countries on the list, virtually all in Asia or Africa. The only 2 countries on the list in the New World are Haiti and Colombia.
MEXICO IS NOT ON THE LIST.
Steve
http://travel.state.gov/travel/cis_p...w/tw_1764.html
will show you the current travel warnings issued by the U.S. State Department, advising Americans not to travel to certain countries. It must be updated frequently because the most recent entry on the list (Bosnia-Herzegovina) is tagged with yesterday's date. There are currently 27 countries on the list, virtually all in Asia or Africa. The only 2 countries on the list in the New World are Haiti and Colombia.
MEXICO IS NOT ON THE LIST.
Steve
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Aug 2nd, 2005, 08:34 AM
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Mexico's a much more "unsafe" place to visit than it was just 5 years ago - and the problem's getting worse. The military is being deployed more often about the country to do the job policement can't or won't do themselves. The USA/Mexico border area seems least safe right now. Cancun sees some crime against tourists, and crime along Mexico's Pacific Coast is getting ever more violent.
Terrorism, in Mexico? Not likely, but Mexico's been a gateway into the USA for undesirables, including from the Middle East - if news reports from Mexico are accurate. It's generally accepted that terrorists intent on harming people in the USA may/will enter the USA through Mexico. As for terrorism in Mexico, there have been terrorists for some time now - the domestic kind. Subcomandante Marcos is a terrorist. Terrorists have been active in Guerrero and Oaxaca for years - but more of a rural guerilla type of domestic issue.
Mexico's just begun a program to better-protect its oil pipelines, out of fear of terrorism - from both domestic and international terrorists.
There are few places we can go in the world today without thinking about crime and violence. I don't know if Mexico's any more unsafe than most of the other places. Mexico City's less safe than Chicago or New York, IMO. But that doesn't mean you can't visit there and have a great time.
The US Consular warnings should be read and believed as they generally underestimate the problem, again, IMO.
Enjoy your visit!
Terrorism, in Mexico? Not likely, but Mexico's been a gateway into the USA for undesirables, including from the Middle East - if news reports from Mexico are accurate. It's generally accepted that terrorists intent on harming people in the USA may/will enter the USA through Mexico. As for terrorism in Mexico, there have been terrorists for some time now - the domestic kind. Subcomandante Marcos is a terrorist. Terrorists have been active in Guerrero and Oaxaca for years - but more of a rural guerilla type of domestic issue.
Mexico's just begun a program to better-protect its oil pipelines, out of fear of terrorism - from both domestic and international terrorists.
There are few places we can go in the world today without thinking about crime and violence. I don't know if Mexico's any more unsafe than most of the other places. Mexico City's less safe than Chicago or New York, IMO. But that doesn't mean you can't visit there and have a great time.
The US Consular warnings should be read and believed as they generally underestimate the problem, again, IMO.
Enjoy your visit!
Aug 2nd, 2005, 08:38 AM
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Frankie Where did you stay in P.V.? I'm sure you had a great time. Can't wait to go back. Any new restaurants you can recommend? Just was there in April going back in Nov. If it wasn't so far I would there more often.
Aug 2nd, 2005, 09:38 AM
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hey there, Butsey! thanks for asking!
We stayed at the Four Seasons Punta Mita, so we were a little out of town. I liked the resort; it was beautiful, but the road was a little long to go in and out of Puerto Vallarta, there was construction, and since we were only there for 5 days, we didn't go into the town proper. Really missed it. The "town" of Punta Mita was nothing to write home about.
Our one day trip was to Sayulita, which we'd visited a couple of years ago and my daughter insisted on returning to ride horses there again. Sayulita has gotten much more crowded in just 2 years! I didn't like it as well this time with all the people!
Looking forward to hearing about your November trip!
No matter how nice the 4 Seasons was, I'd rather stay at a "lesser" hotel and be close to PV. Learned a lesson!!!
We stayed at the Four Seasons Punta Mita, so we were a little out of town. I liked the resort; it was beautiful, but the road was a little long to go in and out of Puerto Vallarta, there was construction, and since we were only there for 5 days, we didn't go into the town proper. Really missed it. The "town" of Punta Mita was nothing to write home about.
Our one day trip was to Sayulita, which we'd visited a couple of years ago and my daughter insisted on returning to ride horses there again. Sayulita has gotten much more crowded in just 2 years! I didn't like it as well this time with all the people!
Looking forward to hearing about your November trip!
No matter how nice the 4 Seasons was, I'd rather stay at a "lesser" hotel and be close to PV. Learned a lesson!!!
Aug 3rd, 2005, 07:38 AM
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Follow this link for what I consider to be a conservative view of the situation in Mexico:
http://travel.state.gov/travel/cis_p...s/cis_970.html
http://travel.state.gov/travel/cis_p...s/cis_970.html
Aug 3rd, 2005, 04:35 PM
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There was a CNN.com report today that said Mexico has overtaken Colombia and Brazil for the highest number of kidnappings in the first six months of 2005. http://edition.cnn.com/2005/WORLD/am....ap/index.html
Aug 3rd, 2005, 07:47 PM
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My experiences in Mexico in 2005 have been nothing but positive and I've been in two cited in these reports as the worst.
Mexico City I fell in love with and I got around on foot and public transit...even went to a few nightspots. I didn't go to shantytowns mind you, and took some precautions but still.
I taxied from Nuevo Laredo bus station to the border in daylight, walked through a bit of town and then crossed; saw people shopping, playing softball, crossing the border, was pretty uneventful.
Spent numerous days in Monterrey, which has a homicide rate about equal to that of most Canadian cities; honestly felt safer there than in many US cities.
Definitely take necessary precautions, but I recommend experiencing the fabulous country that is Mexico and not living in fear.
DAN
Mexico City I fell in love with and I got around on foot and public transit...even went to a few nightspots. I didn't go to shantytowns mind you, and took some precautions but still.
I taxied from Nuevo Laredo bus station to the border in daylight, walked through a bit of town and then crossed; saw people shopping, playing softball, crossing the border, was pretty uneventful.
Spent numerous days in Monterrey, which has a homicide rate about equal to that of most Canadian cities; honestly felt safer there than in many US cities.
Definitely take necessary precautions, but I recommend experiencing the fabulous country that is Mexico and not living in fear.
DAN
Aug 4th, 2005, 12:42 PM
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Hey Frankie Nice to keep in touch will keep you posted about our Nov trip to P.V. We will be attending the wedding of the daughter of our Mexican Friends who we met in 1990, The have become a part of our family. We weren't planning to go in Novemebe, actually we were planning to go the the Riviera Maya so we postponed that trip until March. As to all the reports of how safe Mexico in all the years we have been going we haven't had any problems ever. We love it!!!!
Aug 14th, 2005, 07:00 PM
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We felt perfectly safe in Cancun and Playa del Carmen last month. Obviously, you have to take the normal precautions. We felt even safer in the little town of Akumal! Although there is a lot of violence in Nuevo Laredo, violent crimes in PDC and south of there are rare. If I did have an emergency, I'd feel a lot safer asking for help in Mexico than I would most places!
Feb 24th, 2006, 12:10 PM
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read my real warnings about MEXICO travelers experience not fiction..
http://members.virtualtourist.com/pedroebc
http://members.virtualtourist.com/pedroebc
