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Gypsy Jan
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Mexico Travel Warning in Perspective by Baja Insider
From bajainsider.com -
The Motivation for Misinformation
There are certain publications that seem to be beating the anti-Baja drum, not the least of which being the San Diego Union Tribune. From quashing
press releases from Mexican government offices working to improve the situation to rehashing and rewording stories that are months old, there would
appear to be a concerted effort to give Baja a black eye. Every time the issue seems to fade from the headlines these certain publications bring it to
the forefront again.
Why? Perhaps it is because billions of dollars are at stake. The Baja Real Estate investment flood must be hurting someone's pocket book. Could it be
that those SoCal real estate interests which make up a huge portion of these publications revenue are applying pressure to keep spending at home?
The pressure may be coming from even a higher level. A few years back the US administration used similar anti-tourism tactics to pressure Mexico into
selling additional crude oil to the US at prices set nearly a decade before. Tourism and foreign investment are critical in the continued growth of
Mexico and both are heavily dependant on public perceptions to flourish. The answer may be as simple as to keeping every US travel dollar at home –
to support a floundering US economy.
Looking at the Facts
The "Excerpts from the "US Department of State" contain the portions of the Mexico Travel Alert that apply to travelers of the Baja peninsula. Since
September, 2007 there have been a significant number of stories in the US press regarding incidents involving Mexican travelers, particularly in Baja
California ('norte' for the rookies) and that the government is ambivalent or even complicit in these attacks. Surf tours and even the Baja 1000 have
expressed concern about returning to Baja. It is important to put these events in perspective and to acknowledge the fact that government response has
not only been immediate, but significant. Neither is it our intent to minimize the precautions travelers to Mexico should exercise to protect
themselves and enjoy a fun and safe Mexican experience.
Taking precautions when traveling in Mexico
When traveling in Mexico as a whole and particularly in the border areas tourist should take reasonable precautions. Stay in well traveled areas,
avoid driving at night and traveling alone. Do not seek out the most remote camping location or surf beach. Keep your wits, public drunkenness has
long been a popular past time for gringos in Tijuana. .
Don't carry all your money and credit cards in one place. Put a believable amount cash in your wallet and secure the rest and your credit cards
elsewhere. Tourists should avoid standing out by apparel, behavior or the flash of cash.
North Americans tend to be a bit naive in foreign travel. We enjoy our secure infrastructure and abundant policing at home and fail to anticipate that
the same resources don't exist in all countries. You need to be more keenly aware of events around you when traveling in foreign countries – lets
face it, Americans stick out... and not always in a good way.
Doing the Math
From September to November, 2007 14 attacks were reported on tourists in the border region. During the same time period there were 27 tourist attacks
in California State Parks.
A recent press report sited that more Americans were arrested by Tijuana police than in any other foreign destination city. Of course! Tijuana was the
#1 foreign city visited by Americans, simply because of the ease of it. More than 60 million persons crossed the border into Baja California last
year. That is more than 1500 times more than the number who visited London.
In 2007 352 people were murdered in greater Tijuana. However, compared to US cities of about the same population, Tijuana falls in the 'also ran'
category with 17.5 murders per 100,000 people. A great number of US cities have higher murder rates; like Philadelphia, Houston, Dallas, Las Vegas and
the winner (loser) New Orleans with more than 3 times the murder rate of Tijuana. Yet there is no travel warning for these cities?
30 of the murders in the region involved government anti-drug officials and police. These numbers and gruesome methods horrify Americans - but this is
a war. Most of these were new federal officials sent to clean things up. There were others who's allegiance to which side was in question.
Like in the rest of Mexico, kidnapping in Baja California increased last year. Twenty six US residents were abducted in the border area last year.
Again, looking at the huge numbers of happy Baja visitors, that is half the number of people struck by lightening in the US last year!
Kidnappings for cash of foreigners is rare, as they have no idea what you are worth on face value. Two real estate representatives that were recently
rescued by Mexican authorities were abducted by a very amateurish crew that failed to remove the license plates from the abduction vehicle, resulting
in the arrest and rescue. These kidnappings are not the work of 'trained paramilitary groups' as some press reports would have you believe.
The violence against US border agents makes prompt and colorful headlines in the US press. Rather, this should have been anticipated, when you squeeze
a profitable business like the drug cartels which are, supported by American dollars, the bad guys are likely to push back. In looking at the
statistics, there was no evidence that ANY innocent US citizen had been randomly killed in drug violence.
What is being done...
Make no mistake, the government of Mexico is well aware of the importance of US investment and tourist dollars in the development of Baja. Within days
of the tragic events of November, the federal government began moving as many as 2000 troops to the region to combat the drug violence and corruption.
Nearly half a million dollars was allocated to fund anti crime work in December alone.
The Mexicans of the region have shown they are tired of the cloud of violence impeding their growth and prosperity. Two new mayors elected in the
region had combating the crime issue as major platform planks. Rosarito's recently elected Mayor HugoTorres has appeared several times on San Diego
television to outline the steps that are being taken to make Baja travel safer and more enjoyable.
Patrols have been increased dramatically in the tourist regions of Tijuana, Rosario Beach and Ensenada.
Military checkpoints now check southbound vehicles as well as those headed north.
Several arrests have been made since November associated with the highway robberies of tourists.
Several arrests have been made in recent weeks involving those suspected of kidnapping two American real estate representatives.
There has been no evidence that links any current member of Mexican law enforcement to any of the violent incidents against tourists..
There has not been one additional incident reported in Baja California since late November.
Travel safely, use your head and enjoy the warmth of the Baja sun and the people of this amazing peninsula. As the real numbers show, the odds of a
successful and pleasant stay in Baja is overwhelming favorite.
“Travel is fatal to prejudice, bigotry, and narrow mindedness.”
—Mark Twain
\"La vida es dura, el corazon es puro, y cantamos hasta la madrugada.” (Life is hard, the heart is pure and we sing until dawn.)
—Kirsty MacColl, Mambo de la Luna
\"Alea iacta est.\"
—Julius Caesar
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The Gull
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Excellent Report
...and it didn't require a quote from Mike Overcast.
�I won\'t insult your intelligence by suggesting that you really believe what you just said.� William F. Buckley, Jr.
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DanO
Super Nomad
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Time to start worrying about how to avoid getting struck by lightning.
\"Without deviation from the norm, progress is not possible.\" -- Frank Zappa
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The Gull
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Right after worrying about how I might win the California Lotto.
�I won\'t insult your intelligence by suggesting that you really believe what you just said.� William F. Buckley, Jr.
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cbuzzetti
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Are you sure you want all those drunk and obnoxious gringos back in Baja Norte?
Well I guess as long as they dont go any further south than Ensenada. ;-)
BajaBuzz
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Hook
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I guess this was all just a bad dream concocted by the media, huh?
BAD, BAD SAN DIEGO MEDIA !!! WHAT A BLATANT CONFLICT OF INTEREST !!!!
Hey, it cuts both ways. For years, there was no mention of all the crime we all knew was going on. Pendulum's swing.
Of course, Baja Insider has NO financial interests in seeing tourists and ex-pats return 
I loved where they compared the number of persons hit by lightning in a country of 300 million to the number of REPORTED kidnappings in a city of 1
million.
Who knew !!!!!!!!???????
Mexico is making changes because things got REALLY bad. Holding their collective economic feet to the fire is showing results.
The media are to be commended for FINALLY reporting some of this, even if they do tend to rehash the same incidents over and over.
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The Gull
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| Quote: | Originally posted by cbuzzetti
Are you sure you want all those drunk and obnoxious gringos back in Baja Norte?
Well I guess as long as they dont go any further south than Ensenada. ;-) |
Actually no, it is really nice down here, right now. So family people and nice US visitors can enjoy a visit right now.
There are some US citizens who didn't leave during the crime events and whoever wants to take them back to the US, pleeeeze do it, quickly, they are
giving the few Gringos down here a bad name.
�I won\'t insult your intelligence by suggesting that you really believe what you just said.� William F. Buckley, Jr.
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conquestkm
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Gee, all that I can say is if its not the right place for you .Please do us all a favor and leave . We won't be mad
Conquestkm
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surfer jim
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Maybe the author of that article should join the band that just lost a member......
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DENNIS
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| Quote: | Originally posted by conquestkm
Gee, all that I can say is if its not the right place for you .Please do us all a favor and leave . We won't be mad |
Who and where are you?
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DENNIS
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| Quote: | Originally posted by The Gull
Actually no, it is really nice down here, right now. |
Actually, it's not. Who's paying you, Gull? Why do you try to sell people on the idea of Hell as Heaven?
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The Gull
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If it is hell, why stay? Never reported this as heaven, just really nice.
You can pay me, but it won't change the facts.
At least in Playas de Rosarito...Streets are not full of confused US drivers doing illegal turns. Sidewalks are not overrun with drunk under 21 year
olds from the US. Cop trucks are not indiscriminately stopping cars to get mordida. Local people are still friendly and extend a smile to anyone.
Lots of Government troops moving about reminding people of the real keepers of the peace.
Do you have direct evidence regarding current events in Playas de Rosarito that you have witnessed that differ?
Please share those direct observations as to when and where you saw them.
�I won\'t insult your intelligence by suggesting that you really believe what you just said.� William F. Buckley, Jr.
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DENNIS
Platinum Nomad
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| Quote: | Originally posted by The Gull
Cop trucks are not indiscriminately stopping cars to get mordida. |
Oh..Please. ***************************
*******************************
*****************.
Are you going to try to tell the world that the city which had their police station blown apart by cartels and has hosted beheadings along with
countless murders is a Garden Of Eden? A city who's mayor ignores these occurances in the interest of tourism?
A snake-pit that has more invisible stop signs than real ones and all highly enforced?
Rosarito is a cauldron of crime and police impropriaty. How can anybody see otherwise?
****************************************
*********************.
[Edited on 2-26-2008 by Hose A]
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The Gull
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Do you have direct evidence regarding current events in Playas de Rosarito that you have witnessed that differ?
Please share those direct observations as to when and where you saw them.
�I won\'t insult your intelligence by suggesting that you really believe what you just said.� William F. Buckley, Jr.
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DENNIS
Platinum Nomad
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Gull....
*********.*** ** ***** **. *** ** ******* * ** ****** ** **** .
***[****] *** ******.**. Furthermore, *** ******* * **** **.
Now, if you don't understand my feelings toward you, **** ** ****
********** ** * ****** ********* ** * ** **** ******** and ****.
Try to understand what I'm saying ********Gull. It's requesite to our future corespondence.
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gibson
Banned
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Registered: 2-6-2007
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Mennis. You're so obviously one of those that gets all their 'accurate information from the internet'.
I think you should get outside some. (Or request your handler get you outside or whatever)
I think it would do you the world of good.
just a suggestion.
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HotSchott
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Mexico has a real problem with crime and they aren't going to fix it in the media. After thirty plus years traveling south I personally have to
consider what my gut instincts tell me.
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DENNIS
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Well, Gibby....You arn't here. You're in the states, in a safe place. I know you say you're a big-time land owner on East Cape but, you arn't
here. You arn't in Mexico. I don't know exactly where you are but your comments are inapropriate when you tell me how to react to my environment. My
environment....not yours. How would you know. What do you know.
Your behavior and nastiness here have been presented as from one who has tenure. You don't.
You're the classic Baja imposter, telling the world that you are everything Baja. You arn't. You don't live here.
So, Gibby....Don't tell me about how I learn of Baja. Don't tell me how I feel the discomfort of things going wrong where I live. Don't tell me how
to act.
You're a fraud in your entitlement to judge. You don't have that.
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gibson
Banned
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| Quote: | Originally posted by DENNIS
Well, Gibby....You arn't here. You're in the states, in a safe place. I know you say you're a big-time land owner on East Cape but, you arn't
here. You arn't in Mexico. I don't know exactly where you are but your comments are inapropriate when you tell me how to react to my environment. My
environment....not yours. How would you know. What do you know.
Your behavior and nastiness here have been presented as from one who has tenure. You don't.
You're the classic Baja imposter, telling the world that you are everything Baja. You arn't. You don't live here.
So, Gibby....Don't tell me about how I learn of Baja. Don't tell me how I feel the discomfort of things going wrong where I live. Don't tell me how
to act.
You're a fraud in your entitlement to judge. You don't have that. |
not in the states and not 'big time' landowner. just a few lottes in east cape. but hey whateves ... still think some fresh air would do ya wonders.
salut
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The Gull
Super Nomad
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| Quote: | Originally posted by DENNIS
Gull....
*********.*** ** ***** **. *** ** ******* * ** ****** ** **** .
***[****] *** ******.**. Furthermore, *** ******* * **** **.
Now, if you don't understand my feelings toward you, **** ** ****
********** ** * ****** ********* ** * ** **** ******** and ****.
Try to understand what I'm saying ********Gull. It's requesite to our future corespondence. |
It is shameful that when Hose A edits stuff, a mockery is made of his continued efforts. An apology to him would be in order.
�I won\'t insult your intelligence by suggesting that you really believe what you just said.� William F. Buckley, Jr.
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