Kidnappings Of U.S. Citizens On Rise In Mexico

I am a retired American, resident of Mexico for more than 10 years. Every foreigner who comes here needs to understand that Mexico is essentially a country without a police force. The police are the major source of crime in Mexico, and are almost certainly behind the growing epidemic of kidnappings of foreigners. With the collusion and indifference of local government officials -- which is almost universal across Mexico -- the criminal element is free to do whatever it wants to whomever it wants. It is open season on foreigners all year around. And you can bet that this bad situation is going to get worse, much worse. At some point the risks will outweigh the benefits of visiting or retiring in this beautiful country. It isn't there yet but we see no reason for optimism. Our suggestion to Americans and Canadians is to stay out of Mexico.

Just another reason not to go to Mexico nor do any business with them if at all possible.

The multi-million dollar homes around Cabo and other parts of Baja send a message that rich "Gringos" (a lot of them from So Cal)with net-worths that rival the GNP of entire pueblos are the people living in these palaces. Let's see... if you were part of a degenerate cartel of criminals and you needed money to continue funding your operations in a basically lawless land...who would you kidnap? I don't believe the less ostentatious retirees or low key travelers are targeted all that often as crime victims. Wake Up Idiotas...it ain't Carmel that you're visiting down there!

If you're rich and are stupid enough to buy a house and live in Mexico you deserve it.

dude wrote:

If you're rich and are stupid enough to buy a house and live in Mexico you deserve it.

One of the biggest reasons I live in Mexico is I'm not rich. I rent a three bedroom house,Dinning room, two indoor gardens, tile through out, and a garage for about 120.00 us dollars a month. Food all organic and cheep, taxi anywhere in town $2.00, bus for .40 cents within 10 miles. To be honest, I could not live in the USA on my ss payments.

This is why the police does not allow you to carry guns in Mexico. They would be used against them Police=Criminals

Rogerg wrote:

<quoted text>
One of the biggest reasons I live in Mexico is I'm not rich. I rent a three bedroom house,Dinning room, two indoor gardens, tile through out, and a garage for about 120.00 us dollars a month. Food all organic and cheep, taxi anywhere in town $2.00, bus for .40 cents within 10 miles. To be honest, I could not live in the USA on my ss payments.

Renting is different than owning. You don't see them kidnapping older people who have no money.

Antimex wrote:

This is why the police does not allow you to carry guns in Mexico. They would be used against them Police=Criminals

Interesting post, but true. One thing about the "bite", as they call it,if you get pulled over here for speeding, you just pay the cop 10 or 20 bucks and the problem disappears.Some bad things are not ALL bad.

While that mordida or bite may be a bonus to you a traffic violator, it only adds to the sad state of bribery in police networks that go a lot higher if you want to pay off a cop who knows you are transporting tons of columbian cocaine throught his little fifedom. Set the right example and maybe future generations will get off of the "take" and make for a safer Mexico.

Maximilliano wrote:

While that mordida or bite may be a bonus to you a traffic violator, it only adds to the sad state of bribery in police networks that go a lot higher if you want to pay off a cop who knows you are transporting tons of columbian cocaine throught his little fifedom. Set the right example and maybe future generations will get off of the "take" and make for a safer Mexico.

Sorry, I don't own a car, take the bus all the time.

No corruption by police in the US, no no way
Plenty of Justice in this country..with plenty of money.
No Kidnappings here for ransom, just for molestation, sex, murder, drugs, jealousy.
Hey, we're all having fun even if 14,ooo people a year are killed by drunk drivers.
And never mind that 5 times more people are killed by guns in the US each year than in all the US soldiers killed in Irag.
PLEASE DO NOT GO TO MEXICO IT IS DANGEROUS!
besides I like it when I'm there alone.
P.S. Tepic is beautiful, ok so is Cabo.

Thats ok Maximilliano, some live more life than others who hide in fear. good luck to you, oh by the way, as the police cheif has been quoted saying in our beautifull town....if you drive down a main street at night keep your windows rolled up, your doors locked and leave room in front of your car if you are stopped behind someone else so you have room to escape if someone approaches.
Just stay in front of your tv maxy and relax.

Any reason why Colgate toothpaste is made in Mexico?

I am shocked. I've lived in Mexico for 5 years after living in San Diego for 10 years. San Miguel de Allende, Mexico is hands down the best, safest place I've ever lived. It rocks! I can't believe the stupidity of people who write these generalizations about Mexico. The peacefulness, the beauty, the perfect weather...I'm never leaving. It is wonderful. I wouldn't move back to the US if you PAID me.
Please, don't come here--we want it to stay the paradise it is!

If your idea of paradise is drug cartels more powerful than the police and government shooting and beheading people at random you can keep your mexican paradise.

I'll stay up here, where if I go to a cop with a problem I don't have to worry about that cop trying to extort money from me or arrest me for no reason other than the fact that I am white and probably have money.

I'm with you "Truth-Teller" and I even agree in part with "racer1" that Mexico is a more tranquil place to live than most places in the US. My concern with moving back down there, since I did live in SMA for several years before it was all that discovered (but still full of expats)thirty years ago; is how do I ever stop being an American? Even though I live in Mexico and say I love Mexico. The locals (even in San Miguel) will never consider me or you anything other than an American who is temporarily living in their coutry because it is cheap and more livable than what is offered back in your hometown. Therefore, I never really get to become part of MEXICO...only part of some gringo community, most of whom can't even speak the local language. My challenge to you and others who have sought refuge in the beautiful state of Guajuanato; is WHY NOT give up your US passport permanently...WHY NOT cut off your monthly social security check that is sent to you by the bad boys government in the US which you use to support your lifestyle down South...AND WHY NOT practice what you pretend to "preach", and apply for full Mexican citizenship and love that country as a real local and not just a disenchanted gringo? Not too many would do that...probably less than one-percent of all the Americans living down there.

Maximilliano wrote:

I'm with you "Truth-Teller" and I even agree in part with "racer1" that Mexico is a more tranquil place to live than most places in the US. My concern with moving back down there, since I did live in SMA for several years before it was all that discovered (but still full of expats)thirty years ago; is how do I ever stop being an American? Even though I live in Mexico and say I love Mexico. The locals (even in San Miguel) will never consider me or you anything other than an American who is temporarily living in their coutry because it is cheap and more livable than what is offered back in your hometown. Therefore, I never really get to become part of MEXICO...only part of some gringo community, most of whom can't even speak the local language. My challenge to you and others who have sought refuge in the beautiful state of Guajuanato; is WHY NOT give up your US passport permanently...WHY NOT cut off your monthly social security check that is sent to you by the bad boys government in the US which you use to support your lifestyle down South...AND WHY NOT practice what you pretend to "preach", and apply for full Mexican citizenship and love that country as a real local and not just a disenchanted gringo? Not too many would do that...probably less than one-percent of all the Americans living down there.

The first thing you need to do is get an fm3 for 3 years, then an fm2 for 2 years before you can talk about being a citizen here in Mexico. while your here under that criteria you cannot hold a job here that any other Mexican citizen can do. So now what?

Yea, Maxi is right, why not work to benefit your home country and support the cultural ways here with your wealth and creativness all your life and then blow off the hard earned 'reward' of how the government invested your earnings so that maxi can benefit from it instead of you? You have no right to that which you owned before you left according to that logic. Maxi is so threatened by those who find illogic in his argument and simpleton reflexive statements he needs to give you the benefit of assuming you hate it here when what everyone has said is that we enjoy it there. Watch the news tonight in this country that is all we are saying before you point fingers with a oneliner on the front page as you lean on weak rationalizations.

Get a life racerboy...sounds like you have no idea what to do with the one you have except to peck away at a little keyboard while spouting off about a lot to do about nothing. I see why you live next door to Tiajuana. Have another tequilla!