Cabo, Baja, Loreto…is it safe?
- This topic has 36 replies, 24 voices, and was last updated May 8, 2009 at 11:14 am by
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Thanks for the input. Matt…thanks for your offer.
The reason I bring this up…..I subscribe to a off-roaders/expedition travel message board. Many of those folks drive down to Baja from San D-eggo and camp along the beaches. They’ve mentioned some hassles with the federales like you all have said. One theme that they discuss is the fact that it is getting increasingly worse from year-to-year. Perhaps it’s the economy. I’ll see if I can find one of the pertinent threads on their message board. Their info is typically current as they travel down there year-round and provide trip reports upon their return.
thanks….Steve
Steve…just make sure you carry your badge…and tell everyone that you are a cop. I’m sure you’ll have no problem with the Federales. HA…
On a serious note…I think our backgrounds of working in law enforcement and being a father taking your son on this trip to Mexico would also make it tough to just go down there and be “carefree and happy-go-lucky”.
I have seen several news reports in the last two months, even here along the Texas Border, as well as Tijuana. Here in South Texas, the sheriff’s Depts. are arming up with AR-15/M-16 to have the firepower to return fire across the Rio Grand with the drug runners on the Mexican side (there have already been shootouts across the river).
I have been into Mexico twice. Once in 1994, to interior Mexico well away from the border, several hours southwest of Monterrey. Back then, it was safe there and the folks were nice. We were actually on a church mission trip. I do remember going down this dirt road in the middle of nowhere and getting stoped by a checkpoint of Federales in black with automatic weapons. They let us proceed, and it was not a big deal, but we had a Pastor from the Mexican Church’s we were going down to help who was a dual citizen and did all the talking. Another interesting situation on that trip was up in one of the mountain villages, all of us college men and our Pastor from my home church (he used to play football for Texas A&M and St. Louis Cardinals and was a BIG dude) got a pickup soccer game together with the young boys and teenagers. At one point in the game, during a little onfield huddle, we all commented about the the oldest teenage kid that was playing soccer with us and had a pistol butt sticking out of his pants. I think we let them win…
My second trip was to go rock climbing at El Portrero Chico, a little north of Monterrey. It was fine and rode down with some climbing friends. That was December 2001. But lots has changed since then.
Personaly, I never care to go back to Mex.
P.S. I should say, however, that the local folks we stayed with on both occasions were extremely generous and gracious.
Never having been to Mexico and not really wanting to go, can you answer a question for me?
Why would you need you ATM, and what if you dont have any money on you?
Would they throw you in jail if you had no money to give them?
😕 😕Don’t want to beat the proverbial deceased equine but received this message today related to the border towns:
U.S. extends travel alert for Mexico
By Diana Washington Valdez / El Paso Times
Posted: 02/20/2009 01:25:44 PM MST
The U.S. State Department on Friday extended its travel alert for Mexico due to the continuing violence and high levels of crimes in various places, including the border.
The alert that went into effect Oct. 15 was extended to Aug. 20.
According to the alert notice, “Mexican drug cartels are engaged in an increasingly violent conflict — both among themselves and with Mexican security services — for control of narcotics trafficking routes along the U.S.-Mexico border.
“Some recent Mexican army and police confrontations with drug cartels have resembled small-unit combat, with cartels employing automatic weapons and grenades. Large firefights have taken place in many towns and cities across Mexico but most recently in northern Mexico, including Tijuana, Chihuahua City and Ciudad Juarez.”
Diplomatic officials also said overall crime has increased in rapidly growing border communities, to include “robberies, homicides, petty thefts, and carjackings.”
More recently, Juarez, Tijuana and Nogales have experienced public shootouts during daylight hours in shopping centers and other public areas, and future similar attacks are unpredictable, the State Department said.
U.S. citizens are urged to be careful, avoid unfamiliar streets at night, and stay abreast of developments.
The U.S. consulate in Juárez is at Avenida LopezTwice, I’ve been pulled over while driving and lead to an ATM- since college. Both incidents, were Mexican Police.
A college friend is a Mexican national of comfortable means.
Hell, I avoid Illinois when traveling due to their draconian firearms laws, and I do my best to minimize spending any money in states that don’t have reciprocity with TN for CHP’s.
Personally, I would not go anywhere in Mexico right now. The economy has colapsed, money is not flowing back from the illegals in the U. S., and people are desparate. Kidnappings are big business, even in the interior. Drug Cartels run much of the country.
If you go, good luck, have fun and make sure your life insurance is paid up.
In light of Zach’s post, I thought I would bring this up again.
And I would say, when this post came up, I would never have believed an American angler might be kidnapped while on a fishing trip in Mexico.
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