The Dark side of Mexico.

In my last newsletter, I talked about the fun, touristy side of Mexico, and it’s true Mexico is a place with a fantastic culture, tons of adventures, and scenic views. However, I don’t believe in only giving people half of the story, and like anywhere you can travel to Mexico also has a dark side. From the Drug Cartels to corrupt police there are dangers that people should be aware of in any place they visit.

To start, Mexico ranks number 7 in terms of overall police force corruption, at least according to https://www.indexmundi.com/surveys/results/1 This puts them at a higher corruption rate than the Democratic Republic of Congo and Pakistan. It is also home to 10 of the 30 most dangerous cities in the world according to Yahoo Finance, and Insider Monkey. Oddly enough Cancun, one of their tourist hubs found its way onto those lists, mainly thanks to the high homicide rate of 64.47 per 100,000 people. In September of 2022, the Government of Mexico actually deployed 3,000 soldiers to the area.

According to the Global Peace Index, Mexico was ranked among the least peaceful countries in Latin America. (https://www.statista.com/topics/6576/crime-and-violence-in-mexico/#topicOverview) In Mexico, the crimes that are most likely to occur are theft or robbery while using public transportation, Fraud, followed by Extortion.

But like in any country the odds of being a victim of a crime are still slim and there are things you can do to keep you and your loved ones safe. Some of the things you can do to help ensure your safety are: 1. Avoid protests and Large public gatherings, (It’s illegal for you as a foreigner to participate anyway) 2. Try to avoid going out alone at night, especially in big cities. 3. Pay attention to the media for any major stories. 4. Try to befriend a local shop owner, they will often know the area better than most and you can learn a lot from them. 5. Try to avoid the public bus system when possible, crimes against tourists are common on them and most hotels offer some sort of shuttle service. 6. Only use official taxis from the airport and prepay your fare when possible to avoid scams. 7. For more safety tips visit, https://www.smartraveller.gov.au/destinations/americas/mexico

Now, travel to anywhere, especially Mexico doesn’t have to be dangerous or scary. It’s important to be aware, but don’t let it ruin your vacation. Take simple steps to ensure your safety and you won’t run into any problems, just be smart and have fun. Go enjoy the beautiful beaches and the countless zip lines and have a good, safe, vacation.