Is anyone second guessing?

[bluebubble1995]

If anyone wants to know how safe Mexico is this story will tell you. The chairman of the joint cheifs of staff just landed in Mexico to address the concerns of out of control drug gangs. They do not want it spilling over into the USA and................
this is the best part of the story............they say that HEZBOLLAH is in Latin America and if they work into Mexico it will be a BIG problem for us. That news story that was just aired on CNN just killed tourism in Mexico. You think you are going to get any tourists if we find out Hezbollah soldiers are there?

I'll still come. It can't be any worse than East LA.

 

[vlkr]

based on what i know now, i will still come too. however, i will stay in touch with what is going on and the local chamber of commerce will not be my source of info.
honest law enforcement people have been gunned down as close to coz as cancun. innocent people have been caught in the crossfire on both sides of the border. there is probably not a high danger of that happening on coz now but as the problem grows, so does the danger of it reaching the island we love. this is not limited to the border towns on the mx side or to people involved in the drug trade.
people who know more than most of us do believe that there is a very real possibility that this problem could cause a sudden implosion of the mexican govt.
imo at present the coverage of this on usa tv and in newspapers is not likely to hurt scuba tourism on coz. i do believe the mess with the economy will do serious damage to the coz scuba operators who found a way to see their small businesses through wilma. if there are 100 operators on the island today, i fear there will only be 70 or less by 2012. i don't know anything about cruise ships but it may be the same for them. i would guess that there are at least 5 times as many people living on coz now as there were when i first went there. what will become of them all if the number of cruisers and scuba tourists drop by 30 or 40%?

 

[cavew0man]

...the last 2 times i was on the island, there was a skinny little guy with a motorcycle hawking drugs out of a parking lot across from aldora. my buddy who is in us federal law enforcement and fluent in spanish scared the piss out of the guy...

Hmmm... interesting. The last time I walked through downtown Portland, Oregon, I walked through a park full of strung-out crystal meth addicts right across the street from Nordstroms.

Pot... meet kettle.

Those making inflammatory comments based on rumour, media hype, second-hand information and events that have equivalents in your own back yard might want to take a close look in the mirror before pointing their fingers across the border at their neighbors.

It's unfortunate that there is no known cure for xenophobia.

And this.... I can't even dignify with a response.

...It sickens me that this behavior is acceptable. If you're in Mexico and you're not brown, I recommend only carrying enough money that you would be ok with being stolen, because it's a very real possibility that the cops will do just that. If you get pulled over for any reason, remove your jewelry and hide it. Giving the pigs a few dollars is better than losing your wedding band or ending up in jail.

Well, apparently I have to, as I've quoted it. My initial reaction is.. well, actually, it's not repeatable in polite company. However, anyone reading who has ever been the wrong colour or nationality in the U.S. (particularly crossing the border) is feeling a certain "yeah!? Now YOU know now it feels!" kind of satisfaction. Sorry for that.... And the rest? Bulls&%t. You get pulled over here, you ask for the ticket, or you ask to get taken to the station. That's it. And if there are any "pigs" out there who would like to comment on that particular slur, please have at it.

...they say that HEZBOLLAH is in Latin America and if they work into Mexico it will be a BIG problem for us. That news story that was just aired on CNN just killed tourism in Mexico. You think you are going to get any tourists if we find out Hezbollah soldiers are there?

DIVECOZUMEL:WE KNOW WHERE YOU LIVE.

Honestly. Canada is an al-Qaeda entry point, Mexico is harbouring Lebanese militants.... why, just the other day Playa del Carmen was overrun by Mennonites. You better get that wall built fast....
And here's an interesting point. There actually ARE tourists from places other than the U.S. There's a whole planet out there... I would, in fact, suggest that you follow scubawife's (albeit edited) very good advice:

...do yourself and Mexico a favor and stay home...

My apologies to the following:
- scubawife for the very liberal editing of her post. You are a voice of reason.
- my numerous very good American friends for possibly sounding a bit bitchy here.
- anyone else I may have unintentionally insulted.

 

[driftwood]

I find so much of this laughable. Personally, I have been visiting Mexico for 40 years and my family has made yearly visits for close to 100 years. Not that much has really changed over the decades. Are the police corrupt, yes. Is the government corrupt, yes. Are there still areas of the country where to government and police are still not in complete control, yes.

In 1969, my grandmother's regular driver was 'detained' during our stay and we were assigned a 'replacement' driver. I still remember the bombs going off at night in Mexico City. Troubled times for the country.

The problems Mexico are having today are much less critical. Besides, tourism in Mexico is a sacred cow. No one in their right mind would target tourists for anything but a chump change shakedown for money.

 

[boulderjohn]

not justifying fear. saying it is not good to deny facts.

Good point. What were those facts again? The governor of Quintana Roo murdered and rolled up in a rug next to a scuba club? Or was it the guy found murdered on the governor's property on Cozumel?

i will stay in touch with what is going on and the local chamber of commerce will not be my source of info.

Another good point. Make sure you have reliable unbiased sources. For example, if you have a friend who thinks he remembers hearing something from a guy who used to be on the LAPD and who lived nearby back when it happened, you have the straight scoop, no matter what any darn newspapers or current local inhabitants say.

 

[DIVECOZUMEL]

DIVECOZUMEL:WE KNOW WHERE YOU LIVE.

GOOD FOR YOU....JUST BE SURE YOU DON'T MAKE THE MISTAKE OF BRINGING A KNIFE TO A GUN FIGHT...........:mooner::shocked2:

 

[ggunn]

GOOD FOR YOU....JUST BE SURE YOU DON'T MAKE THE MISTAKE OF BRINGING A KNIFE TO A GUN FIGHT...........:mooner::shocked2:

You guys wanna take that outside?

But seriously, yes, we know that Mexico has some problems. Like the US doesn't? For the time being, US State Dept warnings notwithstanding, Cozumel is still a very safe place place to go. I know that in large part from firsthand info I read in here from folks "on the ground" who either live there, go there frequently, or have been there very recently. Having this conduit for such information is something for which I am very thankful.

Could conditions on Cozumel change for the worse? Yes, absolutely. The only constant thing is change. When they do, please let me know and I will adjust my plans accordingly. Hearsay, rumor, and vague sweeping warnings, however, won't deter me.

 

[PARADISE HUNTER]

I think I'm done with this thread.

Going in circles.

 

[Zman96]

 

[harpua]

I think I'm done with this thread.

Going in circles.

Here here. Tell you what... I will let y'all know how safe/unsafe it is after my visit in a few weeks. I am not too worried, despite the dire warnings.