RFNJ

I think with the exception of murders, I think there is severe under-reporting of pretty much all crime in Mexico. I know extortion is rampant in Acapulco, and at this point just an accepted part of business. And given the understandable distrust of security forces, it does not get reported.

JDiver

I agree. There are many places where businesspeople pay a “tax” to,local gangs as the price of being allowed to operate a business.

There are many other related issues. Examples:

A shopkeeper in a complex of tourist-related sales businesses in a well known small mall on Insurgentes Avenue in Mexico City had someone smash his showcase and snatch some Sterling silver jewelry. He did not report it to the police. When asked why not, he explained the police would likely have questioned, intimidated and harassed other shopkeepers, possibly becoming physical with them, engendering upset with his colleagues. Plus the police could have alternatively said they had an idea who might have committed the robbery, but because if the scarcity of resources at their disposal they’d need some (financial) help to proceed any farther with an investigation - which would run out of gas as soon as the shopkeeper would run out of money to give. This is common in Mexico.

A man (my brother in law, actually) had his engineering business office invaded by armed robbers. They took all available valuables, from calculators to employees’ personal items such as watches, wedding rings, money, etc. They took several blank checks as well, telling the owner they knew where his family lived and if he blocked the checks his family would suffer. He did not report the incident to the police, because he said he’d be expected to pay significant money for any presumed “investigation” and protective actions for his family - same as the previous incident, the police would tell him the robbers were known to them and were nearly in the bag but they required cash assistance to continue. When the money would cease because of lack of any action, they’d give an excuse like “oh, the robbers left town and are thought to be in <insert another jurisdiction>”.

What he had to do was open a sally port in the wall protecting his house and add a kiosk for any security guard he’d have to hire, add barbed and electrified fence wire to the top of the wall, in addition to the already present armed neighborhood guard he protecting about four blocks and the neighbors pay for to provide the security the police won’t.

He also purchased a piece of property that was surplus to a newspaper for development in the CdMx area. The last time he attempted to visit the property for planning purposes, he was met by an armed delegation and found a number of squatters living on his property.

He attempted to have his property rights restored, but the politics of the situation proved impossible. Other documents presumably showing the newspaper’s title on the property was clouded were post-dated, the newspaper terminated the Directors on the Board who had moved the surplus property sale forward and croneys of powerful interests took rents and bribes from the squatters until they could sell the property to another developer.

That’s pretty typical. My stepfather, a physician, had to carry a couple of police officials and their families gratis in his medical practice downtown.

In my home state, a citizen group working with the local bishop determined that of the “express” kidnappings (citizens are kidnapped by armed men for a round of withdrawing money from their ATMs and sometimes ransipom), about 80% of the abductions were being carried out by the state police.

After the last earthquake, relief supplies sent to Morelos (my original home state in Mexico) by people in other states (notably Jalisco) were intercepted by the state police, locked up in warehouses controlled by the state public welfare offices and either sold or distributed later as political largesse from the governing political party the Governor belonged to.

The governor’s wife was the head of the state welfare office. When social media publicized this, the purloined items were moved to warehouses owned by the governor’s wife’s son, who was paid rent for the warehouses by the state government.

My family, friends and I ultimately purchased quantities of relief goods and hired smaller tarpaulin covered trucks to transport these goods by night on back roads to a couple of villages we knew had been devastated by the earthquake. (Ask me why I don’t live there anymore.)

Visitors and tourists don’t get to see much of this, but it’s occurring around them (unless they’re victimized or have a problem). When we live there, we can’t avoid it; it’s pervasive and rejecting or fighting it will have negative consequences. But... visitors should be aware, know they essentially have no rights as they might be used to in their home countries and are covered by Napoleonic Code based laws (there’s no presumption of innocence, etc.)

When in Mexico obey the laws scrupulously, manage risks, avoid becoming embroiled in local politics and feuds, and practically if you get on the wrong side of the law consider the advice given me for emergency medical problems in Papua New Guinea: “When in pain, take the plane.”

BuildingMyBento

Last week, at the sweets (dulces) section of Mexico City's Mercado La Merced, my colleague was robbed...right in front of me. She admits that she was clumsy, because the person who robbed her - a young female employee at the store in which we were standing - was cunning.

My colleague was counting money, and felt that she could confide in the store (owner), and effectively, his employees. She left a few quinientos on the counter (was planning to make a larger purchase in said store), and got distracted by something.

The store office had CCTV, but they didn't fess up (to one of their own doing wrong).

Apparently, my colleague had been robbed at that same market two years prior, in a similar manner. Ouch.

JDiver

Unfortunately, this year has been the worst year for violence yet. In the first half of the year, 20,599 murders have occurred, a daily rate of 114. In particular, some residential areas of Guadalajara have had difficulties with the Jalisco New Generation Cartel - Cártel de Jalisco Nueva Generación, aka CJNG, Los Mata Zetas (The Zetas Killers) and Los Torcidos (The Twisted Ones) under drug lord “El Mencho” Nemesio Oseguera Cervantes - now Mexico’s most powerful drug cartel. They are at war with other cartels, notably “fighting La Nueva Plaza for control of the city of Guadalajara, Jalisco, Los Viagras for the state of Michoacán, Los Zetas for the city of Puebla, the Sinaloa cartel in Tijuana and Baja California, and the Cartel de Juarez in Ciudad Juarez. The CJNG also operates in the states of Nayarit, Colima, and Guanajuato. While this cartel is best known for its fights against the Zetas, it has also been battling La Resistencia for control of Jalisco and its surrounding territories.”

The governor of the state of Veracruz has apologized to parents of five young men who, returning from a birthday celebration I The port city of Veracruz, were detained by corrupt State Police officers who misidentified the five as gang members and turned them over to the CJNG, who murdered them. When the bodies were discovered in a cartel dumping ground remains of 298 more bodies were discovered.

Vacationers are unlikely to be affected, but it’s not impossible some might be caught in a crossfire or by the escalating levels of crime. I’d certainly avoid rural areas of Colima, Guerrero, Veracruz, Michoacán, Sinaloa and Tamaulipas (where some of my family live) and other areas where the cartel wars are ongoing. The common tourist areas around Puerto Vallarta (but not as far north as San Blás), Cancún and the Riviera Maya are still relatively safe. See the State Department notice linked to below to determine which areas are wise to stay away from.

The statistics from the National Public Security System and the National Institute for Strategic Studies have resulted in memes like this posted in Mexico, indicating Mexico is currently less dangerous than Syria, but more dangerous than Iraq and Afghanistan.

Link to US State Department Mexico travel advisory.

Global Adventurer

Thank you for breaking down the venues and groups. I'm based out of Mexico City and haven't experienced any issues over the last year. I just maintain awareness wherever I travel to around the world because there's criminal elements globally

david55

San Miguel de Allende which has always been incredibly safe changed earlier this year when the government cracked down on fuel theft ( the cartel literally had pipes directly from the refineries) and suddenly this lucrative income producing source dried up. Everything that was balanced become less so. Now the cartel is realizing what wealth is here and have begun to shake down restaurants, bars, and shops. Not that it isn't still relatively safe for gringos and National tourists who flood the city on the weekends. but in the outlying areas there has been an increase of murders from 3 last year to nearly 70 this year ......so far. Mostly drug related and shakedown refusals.

JDiver

I’m a born Chilango though more Morelense from Cuernavaca; some of my family are Chilangos too. There are places I’d go in Mexico, and places I have gone and wouldn’t right now. Guerrero, Sinaloa, Tamaulipas, Veracruz I’d likely avoid.

Id likely visit.

The government has cast most victims as other criminals, but many are those who got caught in the crossfire, were misidentified, resisted, etc.

david55

We are in SMA as I type........

BuildingMyBento

JDiver

The areas outside the port itself have reported problems, Xalapa, the areas closer to the Tamaulipas border, probably. But law enforcement seems to be a problem in the state — I know someone who had a false complaint complete with forged signatures and documents submitted and accepted in Veracruz that were rejected by CdMx authorities as revenge for a relationship breakup.

I’d consult with locals for local and updated knowledge in any case, because these issues are so dynamic.

txflyer77

What's the current state in the city of Guadalajara for business travelers? I'm considering a new job that would involve opening an engineering office there (potentially, haven't committed to a location yet) and I'm trying to understand what my risk level would be, both for myself traveling there multiple times a year and for whoever we end up employing there.

JDiver

I’d possibly try communicating with the U.S. Consulate / Consul in Guadalajara for some guidance.

ChateauMargaux

How’s the situation in Cancun? Is it safe to stay at international hotel / resorts?

RFNJ

Cancun/PDC is still fine for tourists, especially if you are staying within the resorts. This area has seen a noticeable uptick in incidents over the past few years, but there has been little or no impact to tourists. By and large, the majority of incidents are off the tourist areas. I wouldn't warn anyone off vacationing at a resort there.

nitecruiser

I will be heading to Monterrey, Mexico next week for work. I am staying in San Pedro Garza Garcia area.
Is it safe to travel to Monterrey these days? I will be there for 3 days.

Thank you