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Expat article about increased crime in Mexico


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This article is about a year old but seems relevant as my wife and I search for a community in Mexico. I would be interested in any opinions or comments. Thanks.

https://www.cuencahighlife.com/some-mexico-expats-head-for-the-exit-as-drug-wars-heat-up-some-go-home-others-relocate-to-other-latin-american-countries/

 

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Let‘s put it this way: My son-in-law is a professor, now retired, and also an Ecuadorian. He and my daughter will not even consider living in Ecuador.

That article is a blatant advertisement for Cuenca, Ecuador; not a bad place, but.......

Visit Mexico. Drive around the country. You will be amazed at the friendliness of the people, the delicious food, the climate zones to choose from, and the weather and economy are definitely a bonus. Just do not drive at night or frequent bars or other dives where drugs may be found.

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Yep stuff happens even in US/Canada.  We fly and drive all over Mexico.  No problems.  Now we wear a timex watch, drive a Nissan micra (very modest car), I get all my clothes up north from Roths dress for less.  I interact everywhere even in my poor Spanglish.  Everyone with a very few exceptions is helpful and charming.  I have been talking spanglish in a village and all of a sudden someone shows up to speak english to me even in the boondocks.   I have been here for eight years and I would not think of living anywhere else. If they don't speak english I have had many folks speak french to me which I speak at least better than Spanish.  Yes we have problems here sometimes. You have to protect yourself and don't be foolish but I have to do the same thing in USA.  The article reeks of a real estate advertisement.  They use to do the same thing for lakeside years ago.

 

 

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I don't think most long time expats (ten years and over) have their heads in the sand about the crime in Mexico.  It's reality, just as it is in other countries; some worse than others. I know quite a few expats who have talked openly about it; some have been victims of crime, and none of them have moved away because of it.  They stay for the same reasons they moved here in the first place.  Those who move back NOB usually do so because of health issues or family.

 

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Guest bennie2

mexico is a large place. there are 100's of towns, also neighborhoods. the very rich are protected. later when we are living in the upcoming "north american union"- the US will join mex. the artical is a tourist real estate hustle for the dumb americano. most of what you read is   hustle bs. have been to central america, no thanks. i like parts of south america. btw, people get mugged (& worse) for sneakers. a timex watch may be junk, but for someone it has value. just saying. 

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Unless people have lived in Disneyland I can't imagine people think this is crime free.  If they're coming from the States, they have no room to talk about violence.  If they are surprised there's violence here it is probably best that they do leave.  I've been the victim of violent crime elsewhere & I didn't leave that location. I've been a victim of a crime here & I'm not leaving. There is no place that's crime-free. Where would we go? Just think of the people mowed down in a movie theater NOB or in a club in Orlando.  Heck, in an elementary school!

Yes, of course there's crime here.  If you want crime free, it's probably that way at the north or south pole.  Living in fear is a waste of time.

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I read an interesting item about expats in Ecuador moving to Mexico... It seems the paradise down south is having its problems... The government is definitely not on the US's Christmas card list...

We looked at Ecuador and Cuenca in particular... I felt that the quality of life was better here at Lakeside... You might want to come and spend a week or two and get a feel for the place... We find it most comfortable and convenient... Chicago had over 300 murders this month... so there is bad news everywhere...

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Where ISN'T crime increasing, Saturn???  Oh, never mind.  Blood is running in the streets here.  I go to Walmart with an armed guard. It's a horrible place & I should leave because I spend all my time shaking in my boots.    :rolleyes:

I get that there's not much you like about Mexico judging from your posts but not everyone feels that way. Nobody denies there's crime but unless we do nothing by tear at our hair over it you seem to think we're in denial.  

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At least 20 expats have left Ecuador and moved here in the past six months with more on the way. They post on Face Book forums, not sure if any post here, but here is where they decided to come and none have intentions of either leaving here or returning to Ecuador. A lot easier to draw conclusions from what people actually do, than from a clearly slanted op ed from a single individual who has never even lived here.

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My intent wasn't to stir the veritable pot over crime on this board. It is obviously a contentious issue for many reasons but for me, getting a handle on the prevailing view of local crime in Chapala/Ajijic and around the lake is important. Without giving up too much personal info, we will need to find a place in Mexico in the coming year or so. This has to do with some short term but mostly long term health care costs and services. We are retired and our income will allow us a comfortable lifestyle in Chapala/Ajijic.  I have lived in Santa Clara (Silicon) Valley and the Central California Coast all my life so the Mexican culture is very familiar  which will make the transition a more natural choice. My more immediate concern is the property crime: burglary, home invasion, robbery, petty thefts, etc. It appears to be a constant problem. I have no expectation to arrive in a pimped out chrome laden Hummer with Rolex on the wrist and gold chains around my neck. I am just a working class guy and not patient with pretentiousness looking at some of the beautiful homes and neighborhoods in Ajijic. Safety in the home is a priority and these sort of lower level crimes can and often lead to violence. Ajijic/Chapala is foremost on the list of possibilities so far but that issue is causing me to hesitate. Having repeated break-ins does not sit well with me.

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After 11 years here IMHO crime is our area has decreased in the last couple of years.  How long has it been since we heard of any violent crime around Lakeside?  Burglary is still common but what else?  It's been years since a gringo was injured or a robbery (face to face) has occurred.

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Guest bennie2

would you move to inner city chicago? baltimore? arizonia? no. then why would you move to a similar area in mexico? or even w/in the chapala area? there are nice gated places here & private fracs. some ok others no. you still need home security big time. i have no problem walking on the goodstreets after dark. some streets are a nono. yes its trueabout the escalation. years ago there were mostly breakins. about 10 years back this escalated into home invasions (like arizona border towns have). some can be violent. the good news is that they havnt happend in several years. breakins (while you are out) seem to be back in popularity. theres the expat lunchtime breakin, the cocktail hour break in & they are on vacation breakin. babyboomers are the easiest to fool & hustle. they are still on the goodship lollypop singing imagine. 

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The types of crime you describe are on the increase and becoming almost common place here. They were a rarity when  I moved here almost 12 years and I have not experienced it, but I know others who have, including some multiple times. It is definitely a major concern. 

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1 hour ago, Saturn said:

I hear your sarcasm. It doesn't have any place in a good, healthy discussion. You know nothing about me, or how I feel so don't be so presumptuous. And I find no need to enlighten you.

Yes, violence is increasing everywhere. 

Just going by your posts on this forum which is all I have to go by & I don't care to be enlightened.  Carry on.

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Is there anywhere that anyone would want to live that is absolutely crime free?   Of course not.  So as with death and taxes there will always be crime where people want to live.  It seems to me there are two distinct kinds of crime 1) Property Crime and 2) Violent Crime.  Given a choice my desire is always live with a preponderance of Property Crime because the loss of things, is only money.   Violent Crime has irreparable consequences and thus if it is the predominant type of crime it is will not to be tolerated by me.  As an Expat of 7 years at Lakeside it is my sense that in Lakeside over the last 3 years Violent Crime has actually decreased but perhaps Property Crime has not.  

I can live with that.

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4 hours ago, gringal said:

I don't think most long time expats (ten years and over) have their heads in the sand about the crime in Mexico.  It's reality, just as it is in other countries; some worse than others. I know quite a few expats who have talked openly about it; some have been victims of crime, and none of them have moved away because of it.  They stay for the same reasons they moved here in the first place.  Those who move back NOB usually do so because of health issues or family.

 

As usual the voice of reason.  There is a lot you can do to minimize property crime.  Personal crime is still pretty rare here.  I'm actually impressed with how little of any crime we have considering the fact the police and government are a joke when it comes to same.  I can just imagine what it would be like in most places NOB if the police were as ineffectual as they are here.  

Mexicans in general and local contractors in particular seem to have a pretty good handle on steps that can be taken to secure property from crime.  We don't feel any less safe here than when we lived in a high end, semi-rural area of Albuquerque, NM.  And our property is far more secure.

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Can or do good quality alarm/security systems and secure windows and doors help with this? As well as, fresh quality locks and not giving keys to gardeners and maids? I have been virtually walking the streets using Google street extensively and see that many of the gated upper scale homes border the open spaces up the hill from town. Looks like that makes them vulnerable. Also noticed there is a remarkable low level of gang graffiti compared to most parts of Mexico or anywhere else.

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Lost Dog that is because we have an organized group of volunteers in each town of the Chapala Municipio that remove graffiti.  It certainly isn't because of anything the government does.  In the past the Ajijic garden club and the Chapala Realtors group has helped out by buying materials for the volunteers.

 

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Lost Dog, I think you can tell by this thread that you will not find one "prevailing" view. I would suggest you pick the posts that represent the various viewpoints. Then do a search and read some of each posters other posts. You will quickly get a feel for the type of person they are and how they generally view life down here. That will help you put various viewpoints in perspective.

 

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36 minutes ago, Xena said:

Lost Dog, I think you can tell by this thread that you will not find one "prevailing" view. I would suggest you pick the posts that represent the various viewpoints. Then do a search and read some of each posters other posts. You will quickly get a feel for the type of person they are and how they generally view life down here. That will help you put various viewpoints in perspective.

 

Good advice, thanks. I have gone back and read scores of pages of previous posts on this forum over the last few weeks. I am also on the Puerto Vallarta Forum, lurking only at this point, doing much the same.

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