Travel Warning for Mexico

[island men]

dont worry, every thing is good, this happen only areas where the tourist does not visit, is pretty safe,

quote=blackfoot;25816695]I am booked for a winter cruise to Mexico. The US State Department has posted travel warnings for US citizens for every area the cruise ship is to visit. The warnings have to do w/ the drug war violent crime and for kidnapping of US citizens by Mexican gangs.The warnings have recently been expanded beyond the border towns into some of most popular tourist cities/states.

 

These warnings are getting more diffacult for me to ignore after hearing just yesterday that a grenade was used in a tourist area of PV during the day injuring 15 people w/ many losing limbs.

 

Does anyone have any insight to how dangerous (or not) Mexico is for Americans planning to travel there?

[Ine]

dont worry, every thing is good, this happen only areas where the tourist does not visit, is pretty safe,

quote=blackfoot;25816695]I am booked for a winter cruise to Mexico. The US State Department has posted travel warnings for US citizens for every area the cruise ship is to visit. The warnings have to do w/ the drug war violent crime and for kidnapping of US citizens by Mexican gangs.The warnings have recently been expanded beyond the border towns into some of most popular tourist cities/states.

 

These warnings are getting more diffacult for me to ignore after hearing just yesterday that a grenade was used in a tourist area of PV during the day injuring 15 people w/ many losing limbs.

 

Does anyone have any insight to how dangerous (or not) Mexico is for Americans planning to travel there?

 

If you are referring to a grenade affair of a few weeks ago then you are not reporting this right.

In a local bar (where no tourists or "normal" residents will/want to go) one man brought in a grenade to show it to his friends. Most likely alcohol was used and the grenade misused and exploded. The guy bringing in it was severely wounded/died, some of friends were more or less severe wounded too.

This had absolutely nothing to do with drugwars/attack on tourists etc., just a crazy stupid man.

Unfortunately incidents like this (or shootingincidents) might happen in the USA.

[househunter]

dont worry, every thing is good, this happen only areas where the tourist does not visit, is pretty safe,

quote=blackfoot;25816695]I am booked for a winter cruise to Mexico. The US State Department has posted travel warnings for US citizens for every area the cruise ship is to visit. The warnings have to do w/ the drug war violent crime and for kidnapping of US citizens by Mexican gangs.The warnings have recently been expanded beyond the border towns into some of most popular tourist cities/states.

 

These warnings are getting more diffacult for me to ignore after hearing just yesterday that a grenade was used in a tourist area of PV during the day injuring 15 people w/ many losing limbs.

Does anyone have any insight to how dangerous (or not) Mexico is for Americans planning to travel there?

 

 

It's posts like yours that are creating the rumors and panic. Unless the grenade story is something new that hasn't been in the media at all ( I searched for a story with no luck ), you are not posting true information. Please see the post below yours for the actual story and please do not post things that you have just "heard" about- please post facts.

 

Maybe you can start with the stats about how many people were killed in the city nearest to you over the weekend- bet you will be surprised. Then we can start telling people not to visit there.:rolleyes:

[NYcruiserNY]

The problem with threads like this is they become useless after awhile when misinformation is posted and rumor. The one fact remains is they have NOT targeted U.S. nor foreign tourists at all so try to remember that.

[Ine]

I just read this recent statistic in the L.A. times. Remember this is about just ONE city in the USA.

Crimes reported by LAPD and L.A. County Sheriff for six months ending Sept. 5

17,980 violent

crimes 72,293 property

crimes

Maybe there should be an advise for tourists not to go there??

[Aussiemick]

dont worry, every thing is good, this happen only areas where the tourist does not visit, is pretty safe,

quote=blackfoot;25816695]I am booked for a winter cruise to Mexico. The US State Department has posted travel warnings for US citizens for every area the cruise ship is to visit. The warnings have to do w/ the drug war violent crime and for kidnapping of US citizens by Mexican gangs.The warnings have recently been expanded beyond the border towns into some of most popular tourist cities/states.

 

These warnings are getting more diffacult for me to ignore after hearing just yesterday that a grenade was used in a tourist area of PV during the day injuring 15 people w/ many losing limbs.

 

Does anyone have any insight to how dangerous (or not) Mexico is for Americans planning to travel there?

 

Go to www.banderasnews.com/0903/vl-ellerbeeandme.htm

After reading the article by Linda Ellerbee and her friend you still have concerns, I would absolutely cancel. Just don't substitute a trip to New Orleans for your cruise, the murder rate per capita there is much higher than any city the Cruise lines visit.

[JRinPV]

 

If you are referring to a grenade affair of a few weeks ago then you are not reporting this right.

In a local bar (where no tourists or "normal" residents will/want to go) one man brought in a grenade to show it to his friends. Most likely alcohol was used and the grenade misused and exploded. The guy bringing in it was severely wounded/died, some of friends were more or less severe wounded too.

This had absolutely nothing to do with drugwars/attack on tourists etc., just a crazy stupid man.

Unfortunately incidents like this (or shootingincidents) might happen in the USA.

 

You are correct, it was reported in the papers here correctly, but I guess it wasn't frightening enough for the US market.

 

If you wish to believe the rubbish on the US News Media, just don't come, more room for all of us. LOL

[gomexico]

The problem with threads like this is they become useless after awhile when misinformation is posted and rumor. The one fact remains is they have NOT targeted U.S. nor foreign tourists at all so try to remember that.

 

Foreign tourists have been singled-out for kidnapping and murder. This is fact, not "misinformation." Other crimes, related to the drug trade, have spilled-over and affect all tourists. If you came upon a headless body as you walked to or from the ship or just the head, would you call that something that affects you? I would. And that's happened.

 

Now, I agree with statements that most of the Pacific Coast of Mexico ports of call have not seen the level of violence that's taking place elsewhere in the country. But the Tijuana area, Manzanillo, Zihuatanejo and Acapulco have each, at different times, seen elevated levels of crimes ... crimes against tourists.

[Ine]

Foreign tourists have been singled-out for kidnapping and murder. This is fact, not "misinformation." Other crimes, related to the drug trade, have spilled-over and affect all tourists. If you came upon a headless body as you walked to or from the ship or just the head, would you call that something that affects you? I would. And that's happened.

 

Now, I agree with statements that most of the Pacific Coast of Mexico ports of call have not seen the level of violence that's taking place elsewhere in the country. But the Tijuana area, Manzanillo, Zihuatanejo and Acapulco have each, at different times, seen elevated levels of crimes ... crimes against tourists.

 

Come on, this is another over-reaction. We are talking about areas where tourists come.

Very unlikely a tourist in that area will be confronted with victims of drug-wars.

[Aussiemick]

Foreign tourists have been singled-out for kidnapping and murder. This is fact, not "misinformation." Other crimes, related to the drug trade, have spilled-over and affect all tourists. If you came upon a headless body as you walked to or from the ship or just the head, would you call that something that affects you? I would. And that's happened.

 

Now, I agree with statements that most of the Pacific Coast of Mexico ports of call have not seen the level of violence that's taking place elsewhere in the country. But the Tijuana area, Manzanillo, Zihuatanejo and Acapulco have each, at different times, seen elevated levels of crimes ... crimes against tourists.

 

Come On. I drive my RV thru Tijuana several times a year, shop in Rosarito, drive thru and shop in Mexicali at least once every six weeks. The worst I have seen is a motorcycle cop writing a ticket for a traffic violation. Can you give me the dates when a cruise ship passenger has discovered a dismembered body?

[NYcruiserNY]

That explains it!

[swedish weave]

Foreign tourists have been singled-out for kidnapping and murder. This is fact, not "misinformation." Other crimes, related to the drug trade, have spilled-over and affect all tourists. If you came upon a headless body as you walked to or from the ship or just the head, would you call that something that affects you? I would. And that's happened.

 

Now, I agree with statements that most of the Pacific Coast of Mexico ports of call have not seen the level of violence that's taking place elsewhere in the country. But the Tijuana area, Manzanillo, Zihuatanejo and Acapulco have each, at different times, seen elevated levels of crimes ... crimes against tourists.

 

Can you please furnish a reference so these incidents can be verified as true ?

[gomexico]

The many incidents are chronicled in the Mexican media, and some in the inernational media. The information/verifications will be found when you spend some time reading the online and printed sources and some of the internet search engines will assist you with that.

[CowPrincess]

The many incidents are chronicled in the Mexican media, and some in the inernational media. The information/verifications will be found when you spend some time reading the online and printed sources and some of the internet search engines will assist you with that.

 

IMHO your refusal to provide verification of your claims reflects badly on your comments, and casts significant doubt on your assertions.

 

I interpret your statement as "I can't find anything to support my claims". If you are sincere in your desire to warn people, you should be willing and eager to provide links to evidence. You claim "facts", so please provide evidence of these facts.

[blackfoot]

How about the US national news last night 10/11/2010(ABC,FOX, CBS 6PM PST News)- 2 bodies found hanging from a bridge upside down w/o their heads and another body w/ the same treatment in a border town.

 

Lets not confuse what is going on in Mexico-The humans committing these acts are not criminals but admitted terrorists.This is what the US State Department is trying to convey warning Americans traveling in Mexico.

[Aussiemick]

How about the US national news last night 10/11/2010(ABC,FOX, CBS 6PM PST News)- 2 bodies found hanging from a bridge upside down w/o their heads and another body w/ the same treatment in a border town.

 

Lets not confuse what is going on in Mexico-The humans committing these acts are not criminals but admitted terrorists.This is what the US State Department is trying to convey warning Americans traveling in Mexico.

 

Lets not confuse the fact that these were drug gangs fighting each other and had nothing to do with Cruise passengers in cities that the Cruise Lines visit. If you don't buy, sell or transport drugs you are as safe in tourist area's as any comparable US city.

[blackfoot]

Strong statement-you must have a better insight to what's going on in Mexico than the U.S. State Department. I hope you are right and they are wrong- I really do!

[househunter]

How about the US national news last night 10/11/2010(ABC,FOX, CBS 6PM PST News)- 2 bodies found hanging from a bridge upside down w/o their heads and another body w/ the same treatment in a border town.

 

Lets not confuse what is going on in Mexico-The humans committing these acts are not criminals but admitted terrorists.This is what the US State Department is trying to convey warning Americans traveling in Mexico.

 

There was a shooting in downtown Seattle on Sunday night in front of a busy tourist area on the waterfront. Last I heard 3 people are dead and several more injured!!!!!!!!!! Cancel all travel to the US immediatley!!!!!! Even to citites 100's or 1000's of miles away!!!!! Alert!!!!!! Alert!!!!!:cool:

[mszula]

Personally I would rather be killed by drug lords than sit in a nursing home wishing I had lived life.

[NYcruiserNY]

IMHO your refusal to provide verification of your claims reflects badly on your comments, and casts significant doubt on your assertions.

 

I interpret your statement as "I can't find anything to support my claims". If you are sincere in your desire to warn people, you should be willing and eager to provide links to evidence. You claim "facts", so please provide evidence of these facts.

 

 

Actually there were countless links to these stories too many to list but I stand by my claim that this is still Cartel vs Cartel and it is not a targeting of the cruise passenger nor those who fly into these cities. Can you be in the wrong place at the wrong time absolutely but 99.9% of the time it has not effected these tourist.

[gomexico]

Do the criminals and terrorists specifically target cruise ship passengers? Mostly, no. Petty and street crimes focus on any large groups and when two or three ships dock in-port and deposit thousands of passengers into relatively confined areas - crimes take place. Those aren't the things I'm making reference to.

 

There have been many instances in port cities where people find themselves in situations which can not be anticipated in advance. Such as: a gunfight with machine guns and other automatic rifles breaks-out on the busiest of tourist streets in the middle of the day with thousands of people in the vicinity, and an someone who just happened to be there gets shot ... or lesser, is terrified by the experience. Someone else is walking on the beach and two heads are sitting on the sand, or along a sidewalk ... 1/2 mile and where cruise ship passengers (and other tourists) will be walking ... and these people come upon the scene. Some people will shrug their shoulders and others will be terrified by the experience. Other people are walking down the street in the busiest of tourist zones when, out of the blue, heavily armed men jump out of vehicles and kidnap someone, or the tourist is present when someone tosses grenades into a crowd, or at a car ... all in the busy tourist areas ... where ships' passengers visit.

 

It's all timing, bad timing. And the ever expaning reign of terror is unpredictable. People who are obviously foreigners have been targeted, have been killed and otherwise victimized.

 

Many tourists can be mistaken for local residents in the port cities. Just like we see in Canada and the USA ... residents of a country don't all look alike. There are blond hair and blue eyed Mexicans just as there are blond hair and blue eyed Canadians. There are Afro-Mestizos that look no different than African-Americans.

 

The cartels have vastly expanded their enterprises and don't just sell drugs, they're involved in everything from marketing contraband, robbing people on the street, kidnapping, murder for hire, car theft ... you name it. And most of the victims were opportune targets.

 

Those of you who want to stick your head in the sand, fine - do what you want, it's your life. But please don't try to convince me or others that the serious crime problem in Mexico is no different than where you live. Because, for the most part - it's an apples-to-oranges comparison.

 

If you're really interested in the issue of crime and the incidents that have been or are taking place then invest the time to read the information yourself. It's all out there for you to find. Don't be lazy or lob attacks at the 'messengers.'

[CowPrincess]

Actually there were countless links to these stories too many to list but I stand by my claim that this is still Cartel vs Cartel and it is not a targeting of the cruise passenger nor those who fly into these cities. Can you be in the wrong place at the wrong time absolutely but 99.9% of the time it has not effected these tourist.

 

My comment was for Gomexico. Gomexico claims that foreign tourists are being singled out for kidnapping and murder. I read the news, I follow the links that are posted here and other places. I want Gomexico to provide proof of these claims, as I cannot recall any links or news stories that can support his/her claims.

 

His/her refusing to provide proof casts doubt on his/her assertions. Especially saying this is "fact", not "misinformation". I can claim anything I want and say "google it yourself" when questioned about the accuracy. Does that make my claim true? No, it makes it rumor or speculation or outright misinformation.

[swedish weave]

Do the criminals and terrorists specifically target cruise ship passengers? Mostly, no. Petty and street crimes focus on any large groups and when two or three ships dock in-port and deposit thousands of passengers into relatively confined areas - crimes take place. Those aren't the things I'm making reference to.

 

There have been many instances in port cities where people find themselves in situations which can not be anticipated in advance. Such as: a gunfight with machine guns and other automatic rifles breaks-out on the busiest of tourist streets in the middle of the day with thousands of people in the vicinity, and an someone who just happened to be there gets shot ... or lesser, is terrified by the experience. Someone else is walking on the beach and two heads are sitting on the sand, or along a sidewalk ... 1/2 mile and where cruise ship passengers (and other tourists) will be walking ... and these people come upon the scene. Some people will shrug their shoulders and others will be terrified by the experience. Other people are walking down the street in the busiest of tourist zones when, out of the blue, heavily armed men jump out of vehicles and kidnap someone, or the tourist is present when someone tosses grenades into a crowd, or at a car ... all in the busy tourist areas ... where ships' passengers visit.

 

It's all timing, bad timing. And the ever expaning reign of terror is unpredictable. People who are obviously foreigners have been targeted, have been killed and otherwise victimized.

 

Many tourists can be mistaken for local residents in the port cities. Just like we see in Canada and the USA ... residents of a country don't all look alike. There are blond hair and blue eyed Mexicans just as there are blond hair and blue eyed Canadians. There are Afro-Mestizos that look no different than African-Americans.

 

The cartels have vastly expanded their enterprises and don't just sell drugs, they're involved in everything from marketing contraband, robbing people on the street, kidnapping, murder for hire, car theft ... you name it. And most of the victims were opportune targets.

 

Those of you who want to stick your head in the sand, fine - do what you want, it's your life. But please don't try to convince me or others that the serious crime problem in Mexico is no different than where you live. Because, for the most part - it's an apples-to-oranges comparison.

 

If you're really interested in the issue of crime and the incidents that have been or are taking place then invest the time to read the information yourself. It's all out there for you to find. Don't be lazy or lob attacks at the 'messengers.'

 

It is interesting that you have all these "facts" but will not furnish the references for verification. Of course, none of this stuff happens in Chicago !!

[emcee207]

Personally I would rather be killed by drug lords than sit in a nursing home wishing I had lived life.

 

LOL, my thoughts exactly!!!! Great Post!

 

HLitner, how is it going? If you're still following this thread let us know; I'd like to ask you some questions re: PV and will give you my email. My neice and nephew just bought a condo in PV and we're considering renting it this winter for a week or two.

You've helped me in the past; think it was the Cinque Terre info or maybe some time share info.

 

Luigi