Mexwanderer in accident

"Arrest The Usual Suspects"

Talk about catching someone with their shorts around their ankles, the crime problem here just overwhelmed and devastated the law enforcement, judicial, and prison system here. IMHO one book about México explains why this country evolved as it did. FIRE AND BLOOD by T. R. Fehrenbach, details the history of this country like no other book - not even Alan Riding's DISTANT NEIGHBORS.

This is an honest work that explains in explicit fashion why Mexico is a bureaucratic maze - especially the judicial system. The psychology of two vastly different societies - one a confusingly different array of indigenous peoples, the other, a thoroughly screwed-up goose-stepping legion of Spaniards. Like the movie LA LEY de HERODES, Fire and Blood lays things on the line as they are, not as people would like them to be.

I read this book after spending 50+ years down here, and occasionally pounded my arm chair arm rest expressing agreement with the author's observations and conclusions.

Sample: "The very highest pinnacle of success was not deemed to become an engineer or scientist, but a bureaucrat - creating a never ending thickening layer of redundant laws and regulations".

My fear, is that Mexican society will finally find a breaking point and elect to have a strongman like the Philippine's, Duterte steer the country away from seeming anarchy.

To me, Fire and Blood is like a Rosetta Stone. To absorb the information in this book is to allow an RV'er to understand this country better and help to dissolve cultural barriers that cloud and confuse. To safely immerse oneself into the truly splendid aspects of Mexican culture is the stuff of dreams.

I agree with those that believe the Drug Cartels are not a problem for RVers. They do not want to get involved with the problems that would arise from that. Unless you find yourself in the wrong place at the wrong time.
What we are concerned about are the small crooks and druggies. Just like any other country has.
While we were south this year there were five burgleries in our area. Four of them were of tourist. One was of a local business. All happened within a week. Investigators came from Tepic to try to solve the crimes. Three locals were arrested and the story was two more were at large. A day or two later two bodies were found outside town one body burnt unrecognizable. A few days past that the three were released and were said to be innoscent. No reports in the news nothing. No public resolution. Per the locals the investigation was all for show.
The locals said the Cartel took care of the two outside town. They do not want problems under their jursiction.

QTLA We are planning on entering Mexico next November through Loredo. Maybe we can sit over a cold cerveza and I will gladly spill some of my beans! I know we seem to disagree on most topics but maybe we can have a friendly discussion.

"there was a lot of muddy water under Chappaquiddick's bridge. "

This has relevance here in 2017? 48 years later? A single car incident? To something that happened in Mexico? Reality check needed.

Mexicowanderer- maybe I've been lucky all these many times into Mexico... But your synopsis is 180 degrees from what we've experienced touring in Mexico since 1999. When I first read this post I asked a few forum members I trust - those who live in Mexico.
I still enjoy Mexico and feel relatively safe if we have an accident here we have medivac insurance to get what's left of us and our motorcycle back to Maine - it's $450 usd.
Other than that, we're all good.

IMO the whole world has become more dangerous. I travel by RV in the USA, and you bet it's dangerous over here. The thing is, we RVers have the freedom to choose which country in which to face the danger.

Remember when pioneers loaded every last valuable into a covered wagon, hitched up a team of oxen, hired a supposed reputable guide then braved a couple thousand miles of drought-ridden territory populated in areas, with aggressive indigenous who thought nothing of eliminating all but the women and children whom they rode off with? No doctors. When a woman needed a rest stop break, organized friends showed up with a quilt and made a visual barricade. It seems like much of today's crowd would never have approached the Appalachian mountains never mind crossed them. Heck they might have elected to take no chances and stay in Liverpool or Dublin.

The security issue down here IS NOT DRUG CARTELS. Plata o Plomo local cops are paid next to nothing and they are afraid to do much more than write in-town speeding and parking tickets. Think petty thieves and robbers can not perceive the absence of cops? There are areas of vacuum and the punks take advantage of it.
I was visiting late in Lazaro Cardenas when Eduardo and Maria got a knock on the door. Eduardo shut off all the living room lights after they began pounding on the door. As he opened the door I stood behind it and peered through the crack. There were three of them. Rough looking characters.

Señor we have become concerned about crime in this neighborhood. You have an internet cafe and botanita (small snack stand). As you know the policia are useless. We have organized and have decided to work at protection. But we need to be paid. We believe ($20 US) weekly would be enough to protect your business, your home and your family. We are armed"

He patted his waist band and sure enough there was an automatic jammed in there.

This is extortion called "Piso" in México. This is cartel based crime.

Let this be clear! A tourist, an RV'er would never be subjected to something like this.

Forget about cartels. The chances of the average RV'er even encountering a sicario (gun man) are almost nil. These boys are after the big money. Those three goons probably collected ten thousand dollars a week in an twelve block square of suburbia. And the federal police would never intervene at such non violent crime. BTW a large local disco called FREWAY closed when its PISO reached a thousand dollars a week. I talked to the owner.

But this just does not affect an RV'er. When an American or Canadian gets involved in a grand theft or armed robbery situation, the SSP the Federal Policia and PGR the federal attorney general gets involved. The PGE and State police handle the crime with federal oversight. Think a criminal would prefer to "earn" $10,000 pesos with the feds and the state hot on his trail?

Chew on this: ALL of the narco crime and police presence vacuum is being financed with cash from the USA. If you want to sink teeth into something, this is a really good place to start.

Meanwhile back at the ranch: I have a strong gut feeling Mexico today, is substantially safer to RV than it was three years ago.

But lack of information breeds bad Juju anywhere. When someone does not speak the language and does not have the benefit of hearing things as they really are, then really unpleasant things can happen to the best of us.

Afraid to travel? Go tell it to the pioneers.

It is safe if you know which areas are currently safe if you know how to hold your fist up, or are traveling in a military convoy, or have information on when that road is hopefully safe and so on. So Mexico is safe. huuuum
Why not just go to the Darien Gap for holiday.

Well then, spill the beans. Info regarding security, when kept secret, is of no use to no one.

yeah cuz you know/
If you only knew what I know!

You are SO lucky. May it stay that way!!