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Safety
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brian1972



Joined: 30 Mar 2007
Posts: 73
Location: Pachuca Mexico

PostPosted: Tue Nov 30, 2010 3:28 pm    Post subject: Safety Reply with quote

Just curious. I am in Pachuca and have no safety concerns at all... other than the normal ones one would have living in a city. With the recent news on drug cartels and such, I am wondering what others living/working in Mexico think about the safety in general. Especially those of you who might live "close" to the media hotspots.
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Prof.Gringo



Joined: 07 Nov 2006
Posts: 2236
Location: Dang Cong San Viet Nam Quang Vinh Muon Nam!

PostPosted: Tue Nov 30, 2010 3:50 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

I think Mexico is in meltdown mode.

Just look at the news.

Luckily some areas haven't been hit as hard as others, but the possibility exists of even more areas being engulfed in drug violence.

The govt. is trying to contain the cartels but the narcoinsurgentes seem to be able to battle both the govt. and each other non-stop.
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Professor



Joined: 22 May 2009
Posts: 449
Location: Mexico City

PostPosted: Tue Nov 30, 2010 4:05 pm    Post subject: Re: Safety Reply with quote

brian1972 wrote:
I am wondering what others living/working in Mexico think about the safety in general.


The border and the city of Monterrey seem to be dangerous. The cartels seem to be taking over the border and Monterrey while the govt WILL NOT ACT to stop this. TONS of excuses but no action. Mexico should look to Rio. They are doing military sweeps of the areas infested with gangs.
They are cleaning house while here the inaction is blamed on culture or history. Excuses excuses. It's probably just a matter of time before it hits the DF. The criminals have no fear because the govt WILL NOT ACT. For now the thing to worry about in the DF is kidnappings and robberies,but like I said,it's probably only a matter of time before the violence comes here.
I'm sure this is affecting the EFL market in Monterrey and other parts of Mexico.
Just don't go to the border or Monterrey and don't take any long bus or car trips because the gangs are setting up roadblocks sometimes and taking things from people in cars and buses.
You can check out this site to see the latest on the so-called drug war here in Mexico. www.borderlandbeat.com
I don't feel like things are safe in Mexico these days and I feel like it's going to hurt the EFL market a LOT in the near future.
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MotherF



Joined: 07 Jun 2010
Posts: 1450
Location: 17�48'N 97�46'W

PostPosted: Tue Nov 30, 2010 4:08 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

I live deep in the hinterland and have no problems. I find the news agencies overly sensationalists--but I'm not in those areas so I can't really say. I do think the government and industry are trying to use fear to control people. Televisa and TV Azteca are Faux News wannabes.
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Guy Courchesne



Joined: 10 Mar 2003
Posts: 9650
Location: Mexico City

PostPosted: Tue Nov 30, 2010 4:13 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

A friend just got back from McAllen, Texas, having driven from DF and back again. He reported seeing lots and lots of military and federal police on patrol, as well as many large convoys of trucks on their usual commercial runs. He said he felt perfectly fine on the route, but I wouldn't want to drive it myself.

Quote:
I am wondering what others living/working in Mexico think about the safety in general. Especially those of you who might live "close" to the media hotspots.


We discuss this here every couple of months it seems. Pretty much the same...narcos battle government battle police battle narcos. They've caught a lot more of the top guys this past year than in previous years.

Here in Mexico City, the drug war stuff seems very far away. As for regular safety, I still feel very safe in DF.

Brian, how do you feel about having your kids (kid?) in Pachuca along the lines of safety?
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Prof.Gringo



Joined: 07 Nov 2006
Posts: 2236
Location: Dang Cong San Viet Nam Quang Vinh Muon Nam!

PostPosted: Tue Nov 30, 2010 4:21 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

I think the whole thing with safety is perception.

In Mexico, people have never percieved the country as being very safe.

Some folks can say that their neck of the woods seems safe.

All of that can be shattered in a moment.

If you are the victim of a crime or witness one, that can change your entire perception of safety and security.

I have witnessed 3 robberies in the past year. Hasn't changed my view all that much, but I am taking more precautions.

Mexico City is dangerous with lot's of street crime: Robberies, thefts, kidnappings and rapes. The narco violence hasn't really hit here (yet) but the daily crime rates are pretty high as it is.
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Professor



Joined: 22 May 2009
Posts: 449
Location: Mexico City

PostPosted: Tue Nov 30, 2010 4:27 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Prof.Gringo wrote:

Mexico City is dangerous with lot's of street crime: Robberies, thefts, kidnappings and rapes. The narco violence hasn't really hit here (yet) but the daily crime rates are pretty high as it is.


Surprised Sad
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Professor



Joined: 22 May 2009
Posts: 449
Location: Mexico City

PostPosted: Tue Nov 30, 2010 4:29 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Prof.Gringo wrote:

Some folks can say that their neck of the woods seems safe.

All of that can be shattered in a moment.


Sad
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PlayadelSoul



Joined: 29 Jun 2005
Posts: 346
Location: Playa del Carmen

PostPosted: Tue Nov 30, 2010 8:51 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Biggest problem here is bicycle theft.
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the peanut gallery



Joined: 26 May 2006
Posts: 264

PostPosted: Wed Dec 01, 2010 1:35 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

You live in Amsterdam? Wink
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donato



Joined: 05 May 2010
Posts: 98
Location: Mexico City, Mexico

PostPosted: Wed Dec 01, 2010 7:18 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

My friend sent me this. Pretty funny stuff on Safety in Mexico


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5Pzb3dIazGc
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gregd75



Joined: 14 Mar 2007
Posts: 360
Location: Tlaquepaque, Jalisco

PostPosted: Wed Dec 01, 2010 7:24 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Quote:
The cartels seem to be taking over ... while the govt WILL NOT ACT to stop this


I COMPLETELY disagree with this.

The government IS tacking this USA drug-consuming society induced problem (I mean... here we are in Mexico, thousands of people murdered and there is California voting to legalise drugs- what message does that send out to people.. to the families of lost ones). AND furthermore, BECAUSE the government is going after the drug cartels we are seeing more violence.

The cartels are fighting back against the government actions.

An interesting FACT is that gun crime rose sharply in Mexico shortly after the USA removed restrictions on automatic weapons in 2004. It is also FACT that most weapons that have been confiscated by the government have been imported from the USA.

Final FACT- 2010 has seen the highest ever amount of drugs confiscated by the government. More people arrested, more drugs tunnels found at the border, more troops on the streets in affected areas.

I think the government IS acting.
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Guy Courchesne



Joined: 10 Mar 2003
Posts: 9650
Location: Mexico City

PostPosted: Wed Dec 01, 2010 8:01 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

donato wrote:
My friend sent me this. Pretty funny stuff on Safety in Mexico


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5Pzb3dIazGc


Very funny!

"Narcos are fighting other narcos"

"That's what the narcos want you to think, so you feel safe and buy a time share before they kidnap and kill you."
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Samantha



Joined: 25 Oct 2003
Posts: 2038
Location: Mexican Riviera

PostPosted: Wed Dec 01, 2010 8:24 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Speaking as someone living in one of the "hot-spots", I can assure everyone the Government is indeed acting and doing quite a good job with this monumental project. We are lucky here in Sinaloa, because our reporters are still reporting on drug crimes, even with intimidation and violence against the news media offices. In many parts of the country this is not the case and much of what is going on has to be obtained via the rumor mill, or from personal (anonymous) blogs. I am very lucky to have Starchoice Satellite TV from Canada, including all the US networks. After watching random news stories from across Canada including the USA, regularly (including where I used to live), guess where I feel safest living?

We haven't had any foreign tourists come into harm due to violence or drug wars in our city, yet the USA and Canadian Governments insist on telling tourists not to come here. That is terribly harmful to the economy. People working in the tourist industry have no extra money when there are no tourists. That includes no money for English classes.
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bobbyb



Joined: 20 Sep 2009
Posts: 19
Location: Guadalajara

PostPosted: Wed Dec 01, 2010 8:58 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

On Monday morning I took a cab to Ecatepec about 5:45 am and was on the interior circuit (whatever they call it) and saw the cops standing over a headless body lying in the middle of the expressway. I haven't seen anything in the papers about this but I know what I saw.
A number of my students in Ecatepec have told me that they've been kidnapped and robbed by the police there. Last week the cops stopped the bus I was on in Ecatepec and made the men get off and then searched us. There's a lot of busses are being hijacked and robbed there. But I keep going there. I ain't afraid.
Last month I came back from the States and crossed over at Loredo. I just drove across the bridge and no one even bothered to stop me to say Hello. I could have had a car load of guns and money and just kept on driving.
In my hood (Chapultepec) 7 of the bussiness that I frequent have been robbed in the last few months at gunpoint. I also prevented an early morning mugging of a woman 2 blocks from my house.
I'm taking it all in stride but the thing I fear the most here is the traffic.
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