SECURITY IN MEXICO

 

We have talked to a lot of people about this.   

Bottom line, I think it is very safe in Cozumel, Cancun and Merida.  Needless to say, there are places in Cancun and Merida one should not venture into at night I suspect, but Cozumel is a small island (9x31 miles I believe) and there is no sign of any sort of violence here.

 

Last weekend, we were in Cancun staying at our friend Paula Velaso Mom's new home.  Paula and her significant other, Braulio were in Central Oregon last August to visit us.  One of the things Paula wanted to have happen was for us to get to meet all of her relatives that live in Cancun.  I had plenty of opportunity to ask them about violence and/or security in Cancun as they all live there.  Their answers were all the same, they feel that the "Spring Breakers" {100,000 of them} sometimes make bad choices about drugs and alcohol when they are on break.

 

Greta and I do not feel the least bit threatened about driving back to McAllen, Texas when we leave here the first part of May.  Would we drive to Cuidad Juarez - no, probably not even the daylight hours, but Tijuana, Juarez, Reynosa (we drive through Reynosa it borders McAllen) are a long ways from here.  The violence that is occurring in Mexico is more of a border problem, we are nearly 1600 miles South.

 

The following statement was on MSNBC news, and was in response to the US State Department's traverler advisories in regards to travel in Mexico.

 

Warnings issued to travelers
Further, the Homeland Security Department's attache to Mexico said the violence in Mexico is not as dangerous to U.S. tourists as has been portrayed.

Alonzo Pena said the violence is in isolated areas of the country and only affects the people involved in criminal activity. He said the violence is not affecting U.S. citizens visiting Mexico and Americans should not cancel their vacations in the country.

Earlier this month, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives warned college students on spring breaks not to travel to parts of northern Mexico because it was too dangerous.

Gary and Greta Cecil

 

 

 

 

In February, the State Department advised travelers to avoid areas of prostitution and drug-dealing in Mexico.