Convoy to Laredo ?

[glenr]

In light of the comments about increased violence near the border at Laredo,

I am seeking to see if anyone plans to make the trip from the Ajijic area to

Laredo, Texas anytime soon...

I plan to depart Ajijic on or about 25 March and would like to know if there is

anyone desiring to "Convoy", to get in touch with me. There's usually strength in numbers

Thanks,

Glen

[tobyjug]

Sounds like we are reverting back to the days of rolling wagons, going west and trying to avoid the bad guys (the Indians)..round em up and wheel em in....

[Doolittle]

If the situation in Laredo concerns you that much you might just choose another entry point. Just a thought.

[Arroyo Grande]

If the situation in Laredo concerns you that much you might just choose another entry point. Just a thought.

The potential danger along the border is not limited to Nuevo Laredo. The worst fighting in fact has been around Reynosa. In any event civilians are not being targeted. The danger is getting caught in the middle of a firefight between warring groups or the Zetas and the army. Rumors have died down and the publicity seems to have put the war on hold for the time being. But the problem that precipitated the current furor is most assuredly real.

El Milenio (Monterrey edition) has fairly good reporting of events. I don't know where to get local reporting in English.

http://www.milenio.com/monterrey/

[Ajijic]

The OP has a valid question based on article below and coverage on news networks frequently. The problem with a caravan is what happens if one car is stopped? Do you all stop? Are you more of a target in a caravan? The impostors have weapons, dressed like police and drive in what appear to be police cars. On the jardine last night in SMA were several police with faces covered, weapons, bullet proof vests.. a little unnerving. Not to be alarmist but last year more civilians died in Mexico than Iraq. I have two articles confirming this if interested.

3 people associated with U.S. consulate killed in Mexico

March 14, 2010 2:59 p.m. EDT

STORY HIGHLIGHTS

NEW: State Department warns Americans of danger of traveling to three Mexican

states

State Department OKs temporary relocation of border-area employees' families

Drive-by shooting kills U.S. employee at consulate and 2 others in Ciudad Juarez

25 killed in resort city of Acapulco and another city in Guerrero state,

officials say

(CNN) -- Three people connected to the U.S. consulate in Ciudad Juarez, Mexico,

were killed in a drive-by shooting in the violent border city, a senior White

House official told CNN Sunday.

One of the victims was a U.S. citizen and employee at the consulate. Her

American husband and the husband of a Mexican employee of the consulate were

also killed. The shooting happened Saturday afternoon, the official said.

Details of the killings were not immediately available, but the news had reached

the White House.

"The President is deeply saddened and outraged by the news of the brutal murders

of three people associated with the United States Consulate General in Ciudad

Juarez," National Security Council spokesman Mike Hammer said in a statement

Sunday. "He extends his condolences to the families and condemns these attacks

on consular and diplomatic personnel serving at our foreign missions. In concert

with Mexican authorities, we will work tirelessly to bring their killers to

justice."

In response, the U.S. State Department authorized the temporary relocation of

employees' families working in border-area consulates.

The families of employees at U.S. consulates in Tijuana, Nogales, Ciudad Juarez,

Nuevo Laredo, Monterrey and Matamoros are allowed to leave for a period of 30

days "in response to an increase in violence along the Mexican side of its

border with the U.S.," State Department spokesman Fred Lash told CNN.

After 30 days, the authorization can be renewed, depending on a review, Lash

said, adding that this was not a mandatory evacuation.

The announcement was part of a warning to American citizens regarding travel to

Mexico.

The warning urges U.S. citizens to delay nonessential travel to parts of the

states of Durango, Coahuila and Chihuahua, where Juarez is located, because of

"recent violent attacks." U.S. government employees are currently restricted

from traveling to all or parts of these three states.

The attacks include the kidnapping and killing of two resident U.S. citizens in

Chihuahua, the warning states.

"Some recent confrontations between Mexican authorities and drug cartel members

have resembled small-unit combat, with cartels employing automatic weapons and

grenades," the warning says. "During some of these incidents, U.S. citizens have

been trapped and temporarily prevented from leaving the area."

Ciudad Juarez is one of the frontlines in Mexico's war against the drug cartels

that operate in its territory.

Juarez, located on the border across from El Paso, Texas, has become a focal

point of Mexican President Felipe Calderon's anti-drug efforts after the January

31 killings of 15 people there, most of whom were students with no ties to

organized crime. The incident sparked outrage across Mexico.

The government has not released official figures, but national media say 7,600

Mexicans lost their lives in the war on drugs in 2009. Calderon said last year

that 6,500 Mexicans died in drug violence in 2008.

Meanwhile, farther south in Mexico, at least 25 people were killed in a series

of violent incidents in the western Mexican state of Guerrero on Saturday, state

officials said.

The bodies of 14 people, including nine civilians and five police officers, were

found in various parts of the resort city of Acapulco, the official Notimex news

agency reported, citing Guerrero Public Security Secretary Juan Heriberto

Salinas.

In the small city of Ajuchitlan del Progreso, 10 civilians and one soldier were

killed in two shootouts that started when federal officials tried to carry out

search warrants on two locations, Salinas said.

Police in the state were on a heightened security alert, he said.

[RVGRINGO]

My mind has created an image of a convoy of geriatric gringos roaring down the highway, canes at the ready, when a bandito sees them coming and shouts out, "Its bonus day! We get a whole group with one shot, which will scare half of them to death."

[Guest shelley]

My mind has created an image of a convoy of geriatric gringos roaring down the highway, canes at the ready, when a bandito sees them coming and shouts out, "Its bonus day! We get a whole group with one shot, which will scare half of them to death."

For me - when I read your post, it was absolutely a laugh-out-real-loud moment

[martygraw]

My mind has created an image of a convoy of geriatric gringos roaring down the highway, canes at the ready, when a bandito sees them coming and shouts out, "Its bonus day! We get a whole group with one shot, which will scare half of them to death."

Right on RV, I can just see it

[FeelinGroovy]

I don't think drawing attention to oneself is the answer.

Blending in with a boring car is the way to go.

[peny0929]

On a more serious note, I think I would postpone plans until a later date. Maybe you should fly instead of driving.

[Sylvie]

Blend in? Drive a boring car? Some people are being targeted, and sometimes it is just a case of being in the wrong place at the wrong time. These asassins kill because they can get away with it. They outnumber and outgun the law. They are either strung out on drugs when they kill or they just enjoy it and the name they make for themselves. Read the full story behind the murders this past weekend in Juarez. These people were targeted and butchered in broad daylight in a busy intersection across from the municipal building and along the border wall with the US. They were sending a message - we do what we want whenever and to whoever we want. This is terrorism and it is right here in Mexico and on the US doorstep. Crime is everywhere but this is a war that is growing in power and in civilian casualties. Nowhere and no one is safe.

[Cookie]

If it's any help, we came through Laredo Saturday morning at 6 am. Took about an hour (we didn't realize that it was a holidy)to get our car permit, FMT's and get our money changed. From there it was clear sailing all the way to Lake Chapala. Lots of Army trucks full of 17 year old soldiers but no trouble anywhere.

Cookie

[glenr]

Cookie,

Thanks for the information. That's about what I figured, but thought I'd

find out if anyone else was making the same trip...... Glad your trip was uneventful as

I hope or suspect ours will be also.

So far, I've heard OFF LIST of several people making the same trip I am around the 25th of March,

but for those that wanted to "CLOWN" about my post in this public forum, just thought you all would like to be invited to our

3:30 a.m. CONVOY departure from the Pemex in Ajijic. Don't miss it, right now we are up to 6 in the convoy.

Glen

If it's any help, we came through Laredo Saturday morning at 6 am. Took about an hour (we didn't realize that it was a holidy)to get our car permit, FMT's and get our money changed. From there it was clear sailing all the way to Lake Chapala. Lots of Army trucks full of 17 year old soldiers but no trouble anywhere.

Cookie

[Mostlylost]

Cookie,

Thanks for the information. That's about what I figured, but thought I'd

find out if anyone else was making the same trip...... Glad your trip was uneventful as

I hope or suspect ours will be also.

So far, I've heard OFF LIST of several people making the same trip I am around the 25th of March,

but for those that wanted to "CLOWN" about my post in this public forum, just thought you all would like to be invited to our

3:30 a.m. CONVOY departure from the Pemex in Ajijic. Don't miss it, right now we are up to 6 in the convoy.

Glen

I drove to the border alone on Friday March 12th towing a 10 foot trailer with US license plates. I went through Monterrey at 4PM, and used the toll road to Nuevo Laredo. Everything was normal as can be. Lots of cars and SUV's both Mexican plated, and gringo plated, plus the nornal number of Mexican trucks.

If anyone wanted to cause trouble on the road they would have created a traffic jam of literally hundreds of vehicles. Only army troops in the area that I saw were an inspection at the customs checkpoint at mile 16. They had me open the trailer, logged the inspection in a note book, and said "que la vaya bien"

Customs for car permits & turist permits was busy when I got my FM3 stamped about 6PM Friday Night. There was the normal 45 minute bridge crawl for US customs. A truly uneventful trip.

Possibly the news reports are relating to the free road? The news remindse me of the Watts riots back in the 60's. I was in L.A., went to Disney Land, visited Hollywood Blvd. Etc. Never knew a thing about the riots, because they were on the other side of town.

[RVGRINGO]

In all seriousness; 3:30 AM is probably not a good time to depart as you will be driving for some three hours in the dark. We do know folks who were robbed, at gunpoint, just after getting on the 'cuota' east of Guadalajara at just that lonely hour. I would suggest that you leave Lakeside just at early dawn and plan to stop for the night, if you wish, or plan to cross into the USA at about 6PM, before dark.

[Arroyo Grande]

I drove to the border alone on Friday March 12th towing a 10 foot trailer with US license plates. I went through Monterrey at 4PM, and used the toll road to Nuevo Laredo. Everything was normal as can be. . . . . The news remindse me of the Watts riots back in the 60's. I was in L.A., went to Disney Land, visited Hollywood Blvd. Etc. Never knew a thing about the riots, because they were on the other side of town.

I live in Nuevo Laredo and so I guess I know as much or as little as anyone else posting here. In my opinion things have calmed down and the chance of anything happening to a particular traveler is pretty slim. But some of the comments on this thread may not be giving an accurate picture of the situation that exists along this part of the border.

Not to downplay the significance of first hand reports, but I would not over-rely on what someone did not see over a brief span of time on a particular day. The current turmoil is being caused by identifiable events and the potential for danger it presents is very real. Right now the Zetas are under fire from the Gulf Cartel and more significantly the Mexican military. The Army and a special Marine contingent are currently involved in an aggressive, take no prisoners campaign to eradicate them in Tamaulipas and Nuevo Leon. The Zetas are on the move in a roughly triangular area bordered by Piedras/Nuevo Laredo, Reynosa and Monterrey on Highways 1, 2 and 40. When the military catches them in the open bad things happen.

Someone sent me official photographs by e-mail of the aftermath of the shootout that happened a couple of weeks ago along Highway 1 in Anahuac, N.L. This is the free road from Columbia Bridge to Monterrey. The Army was tipped to a movement of Zetas from Monterrey to Nuevo Laredo and ambushed them outside of Anahuac. The fighting started along Highway 1 and ended in a residential area of the town. Amazingly only a couple of civilians were injured and none killed. The final body count was eight Zetas and 2 soldiers. I probably shouldn't post these but I get the feeling that people think the dangers are exaggerated and are taking the warnings too lightly. These are not too graphic but don't look if you are squimish.

Anahuac, Nuevo Leon.doc

[Ruidoso]

So far, I've heard OFF LIST of several people making the same trip I am around the 25th of March,

but for those that wanted to "CLOWN" about my post in this public forum, just thought you all would like to be invited to our

3:30 a.m. CONVOY departure from the Pemex in Ajijic. Don't miss it, right now we are up to 6 in the convoy.

Glen

http://www.topix.com/mx/palomas

Avoid the Columbus,NM crossing as a reliable source told me that the missing kidnapped dentist listed in the article above and held for $50,000 ransom was later found decapitated.

[gimpychimp]

Do as RVGRINGO suggests and wait until dawn to depart. The danger of driving at night is not just cows and horses walking out in front of you but "bad guys" who want your money or your vehicle and if someone starts shooting at you I doubt very much your convoy partners are going to pull over or do anything other than try to outrun you. The cover of darkness allows desperate people who may have nothing to do with the cartels to attempt to rob you. When my neighbor drove down last fall in a brand new car he pushed it time-wise and tried to go a little farther after dark. A guy in a truck pulled up next to him and the passenger in the truck was waving his arm around, signalling that my neighbor should pull over. My neighbor thought for a moment that he was trying to signal him perhaps that his carrier on his roof was loose or something. He soon realized that the waving arm had a gun attached to it, so he sped up and outran the guy. In frustration the guys shot at him and there is now a bullet hole in the brand new car, about 2 feet from where the driver's head had been. Thank goodness his car had the power to outrun these guys. A convoy might help if you are pulled over by a cop looking for a mordida, but when it comes to shootouts its "every man for himself", isn't it? Please don't take a chance on driving in the dark.