Kidnapping of Mexico tourists is up

This is not a lie, it is issued by the FBI

The U.S. media usually blows most things from Mexico out of proportion. The last kidnapping turned out to be Mexican nationals not U.S. citizens. I live in Baja with my wife and she has a store in Rosarito . We have not encountered or heard about Norte Americanos being kidnapped. In a discussion with Mexican acquaintances it was related most kidnappings are done by professionals and are directed toward other Mexicans (those with money !!!!)

And to the guys who write ridiculous things (both sides) stop it it does not help.
Got it ? Comprende?

FedUpAmerican wrote:

Mexico is a poor, corrupt, dirty cesspool of a country. Anyone who has been there knows that already.
I went there once for vacation, and besides the food, there is nothing good about Mexico.

Your ignorance is overwhelming, but then what can one expect from a racist mormon ....

Dave Rosarito Beach wrote:

<quoted text>
Your ignorance is overwhelming, but then what can one expect from a racist mormon ....

Ah the good old race card. Used by people with limited intellects everywhere.

But then what would anyone expect from someone who assumes someone else's religion based on where they live?

FedUpAmerican wrote:

<quoted text>
Ah the good old race card. Used by people with limited intellects everywhere.
But then what would anyone expect from someone who assumes someone else's religion based on where they live?

Your arrogance and comments display your personal preferences. Where you are from cannot be determined simply by your saying you are from somewhere. Simple statements of fact, that's all, and, of course, you cannot deny what you have written and what it says about you.

Dave Rosarito Beach wrote:

<quoted text>
Your arrogance and comments display your personal preferences. Where you are from cannot be determined simply by your saying you are from somewhere. Simple statements of fact, that's all, and, of course, you cannot deny what you have written and what it says about you.

Whatever makes you feel better about yourself.

I have had a vacation home south of rosarito for the past 20 yrs and never had a problem, you just have to be aware of your surroundings and if something doesnt seem right like a road crew at 2am on the toll rd flagging you down or an unmarked car with cop lights tryin g to pull you over etc.....if your smart you keep going until you reach a well lit populated place. Theres crime everywhere........

By the way, I am a proud conservitive american and I do agree that our border issue needs prompt attention as there are many Illegals here who just take advantage of our system and are ruining our country BUT I love Mexico, the Mexican people as a whole are hard working decent people and ask your self if you had a family to support wouldn't you do just about anything to give them a better life?

I sure cant ride my quad on the beach here or have an oceanfront place here for 500.00 a month.

When I travel to Mexico I respect the people and the countrty, I try and speak the language as best I can when I am there, I expect the same of Mexicans or anyone else in my country, you disgrace my flag I punch you out.....I get pissed when people who can speak english in a buisness situation etc.... speak their native language or when the phone system says "for english press one"
WTF? Frankly I think annexation of Mexico should be looked at.....

http://travel.state.gov/travel/cis_pa_tw/cis/...

No need to guess on the conditions of Mexico, just take a look at the consular page...especially the crime section. Keep in mind that our government is diplomatic, so IMO, things are worse than they appear, especially concerning areas where the drug cartel are heavily involved.

Stay clear of towns like Tijuana, Laredo, Juarez, Mexico City...among others.

Neese wrote:

http://travel.state.gov/travel /cis_pa_tw/cis/cis_970.html
No need to guess on the conditions of Mexico, just take a look at the consular page...especially the crime section. Keep in mind that our government is diplomatic, so IMO, things are worse than they appear, especially concerning areas where the drug cartel are heavily involved.
Stay clear of towns like Tijuana, Laredo, Juarez, Mexico City...among others.

You are not informed. "just takea look at" any north american news paper everyday and you will see many, many times more crime than happens here.

I live in an area "where the drug cartel are heavily involved" and it does not affect me or any other gringo living here or vacationing here. They have their problems and interests, none of which affects north american (or other foreign)visitors or residents. Unless they get involved in that activity.
No guns, no drugs, no problems.

Dave Rosarito Beach wrote:

<quoted text>
You are not informed. "just takea look at" any north american news paper everyday and you will see many, many times more crime than happens here.
I live in an area "where the drug cartel are heavily involved" and it does not affect me or any other gringo living here or vacationing here. They have their problems and interests, none of which affects north american (or other foreign)visitors or residents. Unless they get involved in that activity.
No guns, no drugs, no problems.

With all due respect Dave, just because you haven't been affected yet, does not mean that the problems don't exist. Your area may be safer than some, but ask the folks living near towns like Tijuana, Acapulco, Juarez, or Laredo...they will tell you differently. Do you know that parts of our own National Forests are being closed down due to violence by the cartel? On US soil! I wish you the best in Rosarito Beach and hope that you and your family stay safe.

Rosarito IS part of Tijuana, just recently achieved it's own city status. Major cartel operatives have ranchos just inland from where I live, as well as south of the Tecate area (30 miles inland on the border) the federal and state police, along with the military supported by our own police force are conducting purging operations every day. We see them passing through town all the time, often with prisoners handcuffed to the bed of their pickups. Unfortunately, just like in the US, Mexico has to follow its laws (not the same as US) and cannot hold anyone for long without evidence of a crime. Just knowing someone is a cartel boss is no different than the mafia bosses in the US, you've got to catch THEM doing something illegal, not just the hired help.

As I have said, there is absolutely no threat to the population in general. This weekend our beaches were pretty busy with tourists, next weekend should be packed. Them lousy beer drinking, horse riding, quad riding almost naked tourists running all over the beaches providing us with entertainment! And our new Tourist Police are busy rounding up those who get out of control (your typical gang banger types from LA) and giving them a "time out", either keeping them in the back of the police trucks for an hour or two to sober up a little (minor drunks) to providing them room and board for the night (major drunk/disturbances, fights, drugs).

I was sitting on the beach at Papas and Beer having a cool one Sunday (well, my eleventeenth beer, but countings no fun)and a drunk young gringo came over to my table and sat down. He started complaing about the corrupt police, explained to me that he went to jail overnight in Tijuana only "because he had no ID"). I told him it took more than that, that he probably was in a drug and prostitution part of town looking to buy drugs (he looked like he was on something). He just stared at me, like how did I know, then I asked him how long the California police would hold him for the same offense. He got up and left.

Look, Mexian police are much more forgiving for minor offenses then their US counterparts. I can go to a bar and drink beer all afternoon and drive home without fear of being arrested (it IS a crime to drive drunk here,just as in most of the world, it just isn't treated in the same way as in the US). Traffic fines are minimal, 10 to 20 US dollars for illegal left turns, running a stop sign, going the wrong way on a one way street, etc. A bit more for speeding and not stopping for a pedestrian crossing the road, cross walk or not.

Most foreign people live here simply because of the casual approach to life, the peaceful existance without "Big Brother" dictating the what and how of our days and nights. Those who avoid Mexico simply due to misinformed rumors, just miss out on a wonderful experience.

Dave...

Well, looks like you picked the right country to live in. Not too many people would brag about drinking all day, and then driving home, eh?

I am confused. Why do you claim to be an American at all? You consider yourself a citizen of Mexico per your "gringo" comments, you defend their country, insult ours, and commend the Mexican police for being lax in their job.

I can appreciate the benefits of living in Mexico, but I don't understand where your loyalties lie. Do you/can you have duel citizenship? And I don't know about you, but most people don't see too many mob bosses here in the US.

Neese wrote:

Dave...
Well, looks like you picked the right country to live in. Not too many people would brag about drinking all day, and then driving home, eh?
I am confused. Why do you claim to be an American at all? You consider yourself a citizen of Mexico per your "gringo" comments, you defend their country, insult ours, and commend the Mexican police for being lax in their job.
I can appreciate the benefits of living in Mexico, but I don't understand where your loyalties lie. Do you/can you have duel citizenship? And I don't know about you, but most people don't see too many mob bosses here in the US.

Well, I don't drink so much that I'm disfunctional, I didn't mean to imply that or advocate it. It's just that here, you can go out and have some drinks without the worry of having had a couple too many. And if you do and are arrested for drunk driving here, the fine and penalties are nowhere near as severe as in the states. Of course, a taxi ride home anywhere in the city is only $3 ....(and yes, I've occasionally taken a taxi)

"Gringo", as used here is simply a term to identify people from the north. They can be Canadians, Asians, Mexican Americans, etc. Not (necessarily) derrogative.

I am a US citizen and have no complaints about the US (didn't mean to imply that I did). I live here for two reasons. 1) I love the Mexican people and their way of life (the traditional ways, the relaxed life style, the "Manana" attitude) and 2) its pretty damn affordable. I'm sitting at my computer looking out the slider and across my deck at the ocean, oiltanker parked offshore, not a cloud in the sky, warm, 5 blocks to the beach .... and my cost of living averages $820 per month. 20 miles north of here would cost about triple that,without the view or proximity to the beach. I take a blood pressure pill everyday, in the US it costs $2.50 plus renewing the RX every 3 months so the doctor gets his piece of flesh, cost me $0.60 a pill here, plus no doctor (I see a doctor from time to time, for colds, check blood pressure, etc. and it costs $3.00 per visit!).

Yeah, most of the mob bosses have gone legit, I guess. In my dealings with the police in Mexico for about 45 years, I have found them always to be polite and friendly. Much like cops were in the US 30 or 40 years ago. I'm sure they are not trained as well as US police, but they don't need to be. Most people have problems with the police because of their attitude (not the police's). There is a rampant "we're better then them" attitude that many foreigners bring with them. You've heard it called "the Ugly American" and it's not a fabrication, but quite common. Try that attitude with your waiter or bartender and see who spits in your food! Most north americans would be appalled to witness this, but it really is everyday. I know quite a few ex pats living here who don't like anything about the country or its people (but then they don't like much about anything or anywhere it seems.

A little genuine respect goes a long way.

I do take issue with "gringos" from the north who bash Mexico without any real knowledge, only basing their obscene comments on rumor and inuendo.

And the crime rate in Tijuana is far less then LA or San Diego, or most of the US.

Dave...what is your take on the locals reaction to this illegal immigration problem? Are they unhappy with Mexico, or do you think they are primarily coming here for work? Any truth to Aztlan? What are your thoughts on their government, and why aren't they helping their own people more? Biggest question: why don't they respect our laws?

Neese,
Yesterday I posted a lengthy reply, but it got edited away. Apparently even this news service does not want positive things said about Mexico.
Gotta wonder ....

Dave Rosarito Beach wrote:

Neese,
Yesterday I posted a lengthy reply, but it got edited away. Apparently even this news service does not want positive things said about Mexico.
Gotta wonder ....

I've lost stuff too...but sometimes it comes back....but from whhhhere?

dee-dee-dee-dee-dee-dee-dee-de eee....

I'll keep an eye out for it.

I think it goes to the moderator for a go/no go decision. Want to modify something I said earlier, either on this thread or an adjoinging one Re Rosarito Police. I said that after ballistics checks of weapons and polygraph examsonly five cops were fired. That I believe is correct, however it may be that another 25 or so resigned before taking the polygraph / I haven't confirmed it with my local friends, but sounds possible (from a seperate news story). The police force was 150 officers.

I just returned from Belize, Central America. I lived at the upper most town, Corozal, on the border with Chetumal. Mexico. I left Belize, filthy conditions, no supplies and violence. I moved to Chetumal. The people were great. The city was as clean as any large city in California. I just returned from Chetumal because I was just too far from my Grandkids in California. I will be moving to Baja in a few weeks. I lived there before and and had no problems at all. The Mexican people have been warm, friendly and helpful in all areas I've traveled. I am careful, but also just as careful when I'm in San Diego, Los Angeles or Atlanta Ga. I find if you treat people with respect you will get respect in return. No matter where you're at in this world today you need to be wise and aware of your surroundings. I don't know about most people but I'm 60, on disability and REFUSE TO LIVE IN FEAR. Mexico affords me the opportunity to have a few dollars left in my pocket after I pay my rent. Thanks Mexico. If I could afford to live in California, I would, but since I can't, I appreciate an alternative. God Bless America -- God Bless Mexico

Come on down and enjoy life. You are absolutely correct about the Mexican people and living here. I live in the Rosarito area simply because it keeps me closer to my children, otherwise I would be farther south. Rosarito is not quite "Mexico" due to the hugh influence of those from the north over the years, but, other than the tourist areas, living year round is similar to anywhere else in Mexico. But then, those touristas do provide entertainment ....