Mexico - Monterrey - Nuevo Leon, Mexico

I travel to Monterrey about 6 times a year to see my partner. The violence is getting worse in MTY due to the narco terrorists. I usually stay at the Holiday Inn downtown on Padre Mier.

Well I just read an article where 6 people were abducted from the hotel. The narcos went from door to door knocking them in looking for rivals and abducted 2 employees and 4 others. They actually blocked the roads with stolen cars so the police could not get to the hotel quickly!

It is just getting crazy across Mexico with drive by shootings, kidnappings, extortion and the police are so corrupt and inept. There is a moderate military presence there but it does not seem to help at all.

So my question or dilema is, if I do not go I feel I am letting the narcos win in their war of intimidation and fear, but if I do go, who knows what will happen to this tourista/gringo.

If you were offered a free trip to MTY and know what I know, what would you do stay home or go? :confused:

I think that I would go, but I might stay at a hostel or somewhere unlikely to attract wealthy narco guests. I know people might think you're crazy, but really the odds of mischance are low. I went on a long bus ride from Ciudad Juarez to Zacatecas and back just over a year ago, and I'm glad I was not too afraid to do it (of course everything went well).

As terrifying as the Holiday Inn invasion must have been for all guests, the reality is that nobody who wasn't involved was kidnapped. I travel to MTY all the time (4 days/month) and yes - it's on my mind. That said, assuming you have no connection to the narco biz, I don't think you have much to worry about in Monterrey. The "random" crime has been minimal. Two Monterrey Tech students were killed in the crossfire a few weeks ago - which is tragic - but the exception and not the rule.

If I understood the report correctly, one guest had his laptop stolen. Not quite sure how that played out, as one wouldn't think narcos would be distracted by something they'd have to drag along on the spur of the moment, but I guess they were. Being a spectator to a kidnapping would not be fun, and losing your laptop in the process would add insult to injury.

Still, I guess I am going with the odds, as I plan to visit Morelia in a few months, which along with elsewhere in Michocoan, has had various shootouts.