Wednesday, June 11, 2008

Going South

Things are going south down south of here.

The state department travel alert of about two months ago is chilling, especially in "summer vacation" time in Mexico.

Armed robberies and carjackings, apparently unconnected to the narcotics-related violence, have increased in Tijuana and Ciudad Juarez. Dozens of U.S. citizens were kidnapped and/or murdered in Tijuana in 2007. Public shootouts have occurred during daylight hours near shopping areas. [emphasis mine]
This is really encouraging. Although it may not be so different from Detroit, or Washington DC. Baghdad might actually be safer. Although perhaps I'm misjudging; maybe its just the excitement generated by those "after Cinco De Mayo" sales.

Criminals are armed with a wide array of sophisticated weapons. In some cases, assailants have worn full or partial police or military uniforms and have used vehicles that resemble police vehicles. [emphasis mine]

Support your local fake police. And, of course, the fake troops.

Obviously, those gun control laws in Mexico are really working well. (Scroll to the 12th paragraph at this link.)

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. Attacks are aimed primarily at members of drug trafficking organizations, Mexican police forces, criminal justice officials, and journalists. However, foreign visitors and residents, including Americans, have been among the victims of homicides and kidnappings in the border region. [emphasis mine] In its effort to combat violence, the government of Mexico has deployed military troops in various parts of the country. U.S. citizens are urged to cooperate with official checkpoints when traveling on Mexican highways. [emphasis mine]

Let me see if I understand this. US citizens are routinely murdered or kidnapped. The bad guys sometimes wear official uniforms. But if someone in an official looking uniform tries to stop you at a "checkpoint" on the road, be sure to cooperate.

I suppose that makes sense, state department style.

Recent Mexican army and police force conflicts with heavily-armed narcotics cartels have escalated to levels equivalent to military small-unit combat and have included use of machine guns and fragmentation grenades. Confrontations have taken place in numerous towns and cities in northern Mexico, including Tijuana in the Mexican state of Baja California, and Chihuahua City and Ciudad Juarez in the state of Chihuahua. The situation in northern Mexico remains very fluid; the location and timing of future armed engagements there cannot be predicted. [emphasis mine]

You mean they don't have a schedule? What in the world is wrong with these citizens? Don't they understand they're supposed to announce public demonstrations of popular will? I'm just stunned that they would be so inconsiderate.

U.S. citizens are urged to be especially alert to safety and security concerns when visiting the border region. [emphasis mine] While Mexican citizens overwhelmingly are the victims of these crimes, this uncertain security situation poses risks for U.S. citizens [emphasis mine] as well. Thousands of U.S. citizens cross the border safely each day, exercising common-sense precautions such as visiting only legitimate business and tourist areas of border towns during daylight hours. It is strongly recommended that travelers avoid areas where prostitution and drug dealing occur.
Uh, not to be disrespectful, but.... we're talking about MEXICO here. Where, exactly, is it that prostitution and drug dealing don't occur? I'm sure there are such places. I'm also sure that no tourist is going to know where these things don't happen, short of never leaving the hotel (although I understand a Mexican concierge will get you nearly anything), even though there will be places where they obviously do, and which wise tourists will avoid.

Criminals have followed and harassed U.S. citizens traveling in their vehicles, particularly in border areas including Nuevo Laredo, Matamoros, and Tijuana. There is no evidence, however, that U.S. citizens are targeted because of their nationality. [emphasis mine]
Obviously, the people who wrote this howler think we're so drowsy by now that we just aren't paying attention. Exactly how many Swedes are driving US licensed automobiles into Mexico?

I have an idea. If you drive into Mexico, just don't look American! Wear a turban. Wear a burka. Wear a skullcap. Wear a spiked Prussian helmet.

Whatever you do, wear armor.

4 comments:

pcorn54 said...

Don't believe all the crap you read about Mexico.

Americans are NOT being followed, harassed nor kidnapped in Mexico.

The "Americans" that have been kidnapped have been Mexican American wannabbe gang bangers, who when they disappear, their families report their precious innocent children missing.

You wouldn't know there is a war going on here if you were here. I am, in Monterrey NL, making the trip weekly between Monterrey and Nuevo Laredo weekly without incidence.

HarmonicMiner said...

I wish you nothing but the best... and I hope you're still here to report your continued good health in another year.

There are very rough, high crime, high murder rate neighborhoods in many US cities where you can walk through without likely incident... if you don't make a habit of it, unless you are known to belong there.

Just curious: what is the source of your extremely strong declaration that "The "Americans" that have been kidnapped have been Mexican American wannabbe gang bangers"? Do you review all cases? Know more than the state department? Have sources of information in all the local police departments? How are you so sure?

Please reply, if you choose, to this site:

http://www.harmonicminer.com

I'm not really using the blogspot site anymore.

pcorn54 said...

Thanks for the comment.

I have lived in Mexico for the past 15 years without incident, have homes in Cd. Juarez, Nuevo Laredo and my principal residence in the Cumbres section of Monterrey.

My information comes from being here, keeping my eyes and ears open, and for the most part, my mouth shut. Reading numerous Mexican newspapers on a daily basis as well as the news on tv when I am home.

You see, the reporting of events in Mexico and along the border is in many ways biased, depending on the agendas or political bent of the reporting media.

For instance. a couple of years ago, there were a couple of beautiful Mexican American beauties from Nuevo Laredo that "disappeared" from the streets of Nuevo Laredo. There is even a website, http://laredosmissing.com . Both good little girls. You know the drill. Well, it came to be known that one of these women had every reason to disappear.She had warrants out for her arrest.

If you look at the site in question, most of "Laredo's Missing" are Mexican Americans. They come across the border and try to get involved in things they have no business being in. Another thing, with extended families on both sides of the border, it is not uncommon to kidnap a family member in order to get money owed.

But for a normal person such as yourself, you could come here, travel, taking necessary precautions as you would in any strange city, and not have any problems.

The State Department advisories only tell part of the story, written by bureaucrats insulated in the Consulates and Embassy in Mexico City who really don't have any connection with the country they are in.

My main site is http://mexicotrucker.com where I try to shed some light on this country I call home and debunk some of the prejudiced myths about it.

HarmonicMiner said...

Again, please respond to the "Going South" article at:

http://www.harmonicminer.com

I'm not using the blogspot site anymore.

But I'd be happy to continue the conversation on the other site. Just search for the article "Going South" by name, and post a comment on it.