Mexico trip gone wrong.

[Cooperhawk]

This story was written by a good friend of my wife.

Forced into the back of a pickup truck and handcuffed to a metal bar next to an armed guard trained on him, the Lakeville businessman, husband and father was driven off by local police as panicked friends and family’s pleas of his innocence were ignored.

http://sunthisweek.com/2016/04/08/spring-break-nightmare-in-mexico/

 

[graygun]

I spent a night in the Nogales,Mexico jail in '71...same type of cell but was swabbed-out in the morning. Drove from here to Monterrey three times in '97 to see a friend...no negative experiences other than street urchins but always on edge.

Don't go there!

 

[Salmoneye]

All inclusive resort slogan:

"'Vacation' in Sunny Mexico...

What could possibly go wrong?"

 

[wwb]

I would rate Mexico about one notch above the middle east as a vacation destination.

It's been about 40 years since I was there; that was a business trip, otherwise I wouldn't have been there. It was to an industrial plant in the center of the country - flew into a small airstrip in a company-owned plane and went from there to the plant in an ARMED CONVOY !!!

 

[Jeepnik]

A large bunch of us used to go down to Baja every spring and into summer. Over the course of several months different folks would drift in and out. It all ended after a hurricane damaged the roads, and some could not get out for weeks. Requests for supplies to both Mexican and US authorities fell on deaf ears.

We spent a fair amount of money there. Other than on cruise ships none have returned.

 

[CGDustDevil]

There's so many things that can go wrong in Mexico... Incredibly risky these days. During my career there were a couple instances where I was required (forced) to cross the southern border. Once in TJ and a couple times at Los Algodones just west of Yuma..

At Tijuana we were loaded into armored (and armed) vehicles and caravanned down the coast to Azul. (It was said to be in the heart of Cartel smuggling and kidnapping territory) It was just one day but it was dark when we crossed the border at San Ysidro and it was dark when we got back. We'd just had a cartel paramilitary group shoot it out with cops in Phoenix just days before. July, 2008 I think it was. This was just a week or so afterward. That trip to Coastal Azul was a very long and tense day for me.

Los Algadones was pretty casual, since we were only going about 8 miles west to a compressor station that was just a couple miles south of the border. I opened my briefcase and my boss (who is an Hispanic immigrant, but a GOOD American and a Navy veteran) saw I was carrying a compass, a hunting knife and other 'survival' stuff. He knew I was not happy about having to cross the border and asked "You plannin' on makin' a run for it?" in a humorous manner. And I replied "If things go to hell, I'm heading north and they're gonna have to kill me to stop me!". Our regional manager (who was a Brit) said "You gringo preppers are scared of everything!"... (In a joking way) Alfredo (my boss) said "Actually, Pete is smart. I should have thought of that too... If this visit goes bad I'll be right behind him!"

That was the last time I will have left US soil.

 

[Rick Courtright]

Hi,

When I was a kid growing up in San Diego, going to TJ, Rosarito Beach and Ensenada were regular things, whether to get a haircut, shoes repaired, visit one of the bakeries for their great pastries, come home with a kilo of tortillas, have dinner, fish, camp, blah, blah. It was no big deal.

Last time I crossed the border was probably 1975 or so. After that trip, I lost all desire to go down there to any of the "old places" ever again. Since then, the place has become so dangerous most of my Mexican friends who still have family down there won't go, especially driving. If they can fly and have a family member pick 'em up at the airport, it's a maybe. I can't think of any of my gringo friends who've been there in years.

I don't see that changing in my lifetime. And that's too bad. Mexico's a beautiful place, but enough of the people there aren't quite so much, and the parts I was once familiar with have become pretty much like a Third World country. "Stay away" is hardly the worst advice one can get about going there today.

Rick C

 

[BlkHawk73]

Went to Cozumel a couple years ago on a Kruise. Typical tourist type atmosphere initially but outside those nice walls was the shoddy, neglected part the brochures don't tell you about. Took a shuttle to a beach side resort. NOT a place I'd want to to out an about day or night.

 

[opos]

Living in San Diego the old days many years ago, always consisted of buying gas at the Pemex in Tijuana...get a car wash on the Ranchero for a buck and drink a few "half bottles" of beer at Tijuana Tillies...we'd always take visitors to have a picture taken on a donkey on Ave. Revolution and buy some junk serapes..had our car's upholstered or repaired in TJ...and always had a street taco from the stands (riskier than sky diving)....I've crawled Baja for many years (no, not Cabo) and if I were not old and sort of feeble, I'd probably still be roaming around down there. It's dangerous if you don't know what to look out for and how to behave....
Reading the link/post about the "spring break" mess I'm not surprised...that's the kind of thing "gringo's do" every year...flood into Mexico to do things that they won't or can't do in the States...it's been going of for years and the police, cabs, vendors, lawyers, etc have all got a part of the "action" going on...it's sort of like Christmas at a big department store..most of the income comes from those kinds of things on a regular basis...One more thing...the old dodge about nobody speaking English...probably a legand in most places...In days gone by maybe that was the case but unless you are deep in Mexico away from the tourists everyone speaks or understands English..they just may not choose to let on. I speak or understand enough Spanish to get along and if I have reason to need to deal with Mexicans I'll never let on I understand what they are saying until I need to. I got many friends that still tow the boats down the road to LA bay or beyond and have no difficulties...I also know folks (not well) that think because it's close to the U.S. that they can behave like they are in L.A. and all will be fine...that's asking for a stay in the "stand up" motel with the bars on the windows.

Mexico is a foreign country..it's their laws and their place...We complain and harp about the Mexicans and others coming here but sometimes forget that when we go places we are not "locals"..A t shirt with "Local" printed on the front does not make a person "local"...We have a young woman friend who, with her Father, run an ocean research and education business in L.A. Bay...she's a diving instructor and has a degree in Oceanography...they take school teachers dow there and give them a course in the ocean and it's resources. She is 30 and a gorgeous red head..and fearless in Mexico....and she drives the highway back and forth..alone many times...maybe 3 or 4 times a month...she has never had any issues..I asked if she was ever concerned and she said not really ...she's been traveling that road alone or with her Dad for years and they know what to look for....if she were to be followed by a bunch of young guys in an old pickup with a magnetic star on the side of the door and they were motioning her to pull over....no way...just keep on going till she got to a safe place and pull in..they go on by and go look for another California car.

If you are a tourist and want to visit Mexico..get on a plane and fly to an "Americanized resort" where you can be treated as if you were in Florida or San Diego...don't go to Ensenada to a local cantina and try to drink beer with the locals..you will probably get hurt.

 

[Pat-inCO]

In my opinion, of all the countries available to visit as a tourist, mexico
is not at the bottom of the list; but it does not require corrective lenses
to see the bottom of the list from where it is. :roll:

I think you could safely say that I would volunteer to spend every
December and January, living in a tent, in the Northern most city of
Alaska, AND every July and August, also living in a tent, in Phoenix,
than to go to mexico.

But that's just my opinion. 8)

 

[Jeepnik]

pretty much like a Third World country. Rick C

Uhh. Mexico is a third world country.

 

[Fox Mike]

I have seen the results of a stay in a Juarez jail. Met a GI that was wearing only shorts, a "Tee" and shoes. Gave him enough change to get across the border into El Paso. I just missed a night, or more, in the Juarez jail way back when I was much younger. I happened to know the Police Chief's brother-in-law and he was my savior that night. A long story, but suffice to say it is NOT a good idea to run from the the police.

 

[tinman]

One of the folks at work is Mexican and used to travel back home at least once a year to visit family. After each trip he would tell of the corrupt LEO's and local politicos that he would bribe to get where he was going. Five or seven years ago he was travelling with his mother to visit family when they were stopped by a "checkpoint". It was hard to tell if they were banditos or LEO's but it ended up costing him everything that they had plus every single item in his truck (they even took the spare tire) to get thru. They were going to take his truck also but one of the bad guys allowed him to keep it because his old momma was with him. He had to wire home for some money to return to the USA. He ain't been back since.......

 

[Huhwhat?]

I have no idea why anyone would voluntarily go on vacation in Mexico these days.

 

[hittman]

A co-worker and her husband recently returned from one of those resort places down by Cozumel. I asked her if she was nervous being there and she said ....... "As long as you stay confined to the resort area, they say you won't have any problems".

Oh wow ..... really?

That is a vacation? Maybe I'm a slow learner but I just don't get the fascination.

 

[opos]

I have seen the results of a stay in a Juarez jail. Met a GI that was wearing only shorts, a "Tee" and shoes. Gave him enough change to get across the border into El Paso. I just missed a night, or more, in the Juarez jail way back when I was much younger. I happened to know the Police Chief's brother-in-law and he was my savior that night. A long story, but suffice to say it is NOT a good idea to run from the the police.

In the mid 60's I had occasion to be in El Paso on a regular basis..I'd stay at the Camino Real hotel in Juarez..I think it cost 4 Cents "toll" to cross the Santa Fe bridge into El Paso....We drank Pulque (hang onto your hat) in the Manhattan bar in down town Juarez where the big marimba was located and about 3 people played the same marimba at the same time..quite a place...I spent about 4 hours in the slammer in Juarez until my buddy could get across the border and get several hundred bucks scraped up to spring me...today you might just get shot and dumped in the desert..there is absolutely no reason for a gringo that is "vacationing" to be wandering around in Tijuana, Juarez or any of the violent border cities..People don't think and figure they can just call someone to get out of a jam...in Mexico they do not have our laws...there you are guilty until you can prove your innocence and everyone is on the take...everyone.

 

[ronto]

I used to go to Mexico often when I was stationed at Ft. Bliss, Texas in 1966. I was there one time with my buddies and we witnessed 4 police beating the crap out of a guy in an alley. They had him on the ground and were taking turns kicking him. Suffice it to say I never went back after witnessing that.

 

[Rick Courtright]

Uhh. Mexico is a third world country.

Hi,

Well, I was trying to be polite! If one looks up certain lists of "officially" designated 1st, 2nd and 3rd world countries, it may be surprising to find Mexico's not on any of them. Guess nobody knows WHAT it is?

Rick C

 

[Pat-inCO]

Guess nobody knows WHAT it is?

What I . . . really . . . don't understand is WHY any American company
would willingly subject its (American) employees to the "stuff" that goes
on in mexico, just to save a few dollars. :roll:

 

[wolfsong]

During the 90's I spent a lot of vacation time in Puerto Vallarta, Acapulco, and San Jose del Cabo in pursuit of blue water sport fishing - marlin, swordfish, sailfish, dorado, tuna...never had a bad experience. My friends and I typically searched for and found local skippers on the local waterfronts rather than following the recommendations of the hotel's concierge. We discovered that the local skippers worked much harder to put us on fish than the American expatriates who were mostly concerned with making their boat payments. Many, many good times and memories.

Now, even though my lovely fiance' Juanita has relatives all over the country I will not venture south of the border for any reason. I'm not even comfortable with Juanita going on family visits to her hometown of Uruapan, Michoacan, where one of her brother-in-laws is a high ranking official with the Federal Police. Way too much cartel activity around that area. Unless and until the government severes its connections with the cartels I will not return.

Such a shame, as Mexico is a beautiful and fascinating country, and its people warm, generous and full of hospitality. And the food! Not to mention the fishing. At one time, I planned on retiring there. Not any longer.

 

[Mobuck]

Nothing in Mexico that I need so no need for me to go there UNLESS I'm escorting a bunch of "returnees" back across the border.

 

[ChiefMuzz]

During the 90's I spent a lot of vacation time in Puerto Vallarta, Acapulco, and San Jose del Cabo in pursuit of blue water sport fishing - marlin, swordfish, sailfish, dorado, tuna...never had a bad experience. My friends and I typically searched for and found local skippers on the local waterfronts rather than following the recommendations of the hotel's concierge. We discovered that the local skippers worked much harder to put us on fish than the American expatriates who were mostly concerned with making their boat payments. Many, many good times and memories.

Now, even though my lovely fiance' Juanita has relatives all over the country I will not venture south of the border for any reason. I'm not even comfortable with Juanita going on family visits to her hometown of Uruapan, Michoacan, where one of her brother-in-laws is a high ranking official with the Federal Police. Way too much cartel activity around that area. Unless and until the government severes its connections with the cartels I will not return.

Such a shame, as Mexico is a beautiful and fascinating country, and its people warm, generous and full of hospitality. And the food! Not to mention the fishing. At one time, I planned on retiring there. Not any longer.

I've been through Uruapan and quite a few other cities in Michoacan like Tacambaro and Pedernales. I have a handmade Spanish guitar I bought out of the back of a guitar shop on the streets of Paracho, hanging on my wall that I was just strumming earlier this week. In the early 2000s I spent a good bit of time in Michoacan traveling. Awesome place, incredible beauty and people. But I tell you what, we were incredibly blessed not to have run into any trouble there. On one trip we came back and the next week found out cartels were kidnapping people on the main road between Tacambaro and Pedernales and we had driven it at least a dozen times the week before. Unfortunately Michoacan is thick in cartel territory.

 

[mikewriter]

A friend of mine is an outdoor writer based in El Paso. He told us that in years gone by they would cross into Mexico several times a week to shop, dine, or entertain visitors, but that the had not been across in 5 or 6 years and did not see himself going back.

I enjoyed my few trips to Mexico, fishing and just "touristing", hate that we probably won't be going back.

 

[contender]

Back in 1977, & 1978,,, I made a few trips with Army buddies into Mexico. I was the designated driver,, as I didn't drink a lot,, AND I knew to NOT get into trouble,,, even back then. We saw a cop mug a guy,, well, it was an "official frisking" to which the cop took all his money. Luckily,,, I knew to keep extra $$$ well hidden on me,,, just in case. But after that trip,, we didn't make any more visits.

Then I got invited by a good friend to go scuba diving in Mexico in 2000. We all met up in Tuscon,,, and we drove down. An American ran business,,, done often by a dive shop out of Tuscon. No problems going down,,, but on our way back,, about 11;30 pm,,, in the middle of nowhere,,, a "roadside checkpoint." We were searched,, by guys wearing a military type uniform. My buddy Brad,,, who had arranged the trip,,, donated a lot of $$ to them & we went on our way. Once back in the states,,, I swore to NEVER go there again.

 

[gramps]

I was in Del Rio, Tx in 2012 for 6 months Feb-August. Knowing I would be working on the border, I got my Passport. It was mailed to me in March. I worked in the ICU of Val Verde Regional Medical Center. A lot of our patients came to us from Acuna, Mexico. My patients husband and I were talking, and told me of this fabulous restaurant with all you could eat fish on Thursdays. This was on Wednesday evening, and I was off Thursday. I told him I was going tomorrow. The look on his face changed from one of delight and happiness to a frown. Please sir, don't go! It isn't safe. His daughter and son in law walked in at that point. The SIL was a border patrolman, and backed up his FIL recommendation. I didn't go!
gramps

 

[EVILDOCTOR235]

I went to mexico about two years ago. There was nobody there, so i came home.

 

[exavid]

I've driven to Cabo from San Diego and flew into Pureto Vallarto once. That was in the late '80s and early '90s. We had no trouble though it seemed the cops were out pan handling gringos passing through every village on the highway between Ensenada and Cabo. That was enough for me.
I was mostly impressed with how most everything didn't quite work. Cardboard boxes besides toilets to throw used toilet paper into. Their sewer lines are too small to handle much. Power pole transformers on the ground at the base of the pole instead of up on the pole. Made it easy for maintenance but rather dangerous to passersby being totally unprotected. The Baja highway was unimpressive to say the least.
Most of the people we met were friendly and helpful. Even a Federale I happened to meet was pleasant and informative.
But I'll never go there again. It seems to have gone downhill in Mexico pretty severely since then.

 

[Scout943]

Mexico the A HOLE of the world ! Why go there ? ? :roll: :roll: :? :?