# Mexican cartels threatening tourism in Cancun | Unreported World



## LoggedIn

I apologize if this is bad manners (posting to an outside link?) so delete if necessary. 

This video https://bit.ly/2KfEzr4 tells a depressing tale of a 'dead' Acapulco and the possibilities of crime, drug and gang infestation in Cancun.


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## chicois8

I am sure many folks have seen this video from Nov. 2017 and if not have seen many other news reports on this subject.....What was your point? Should I post and old video of the school shooting in Parkland???


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## Isla Verde

chicois8 said:


> I am sure many folks have seen this video from Nov. 2017 and if not have seen many other news reports on this subject.....What was your point? Should I post and old video of the school shooting in Parkland???


Though I hadn't seen this video before, I am aware of the serious security problems in Acapulco these days and the fact that Cancún may soon be experiencing them as well. Perhaps this was news to the OP, and he posted the link to start a conversation about this sad situation.

I would suggest to all forum members that they check the date on any stories and videos they find interesting, before posting a link to them here.


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## LoggedIn

Isla Verde said:


> Though I hadn't seen this video before, I am aware of the serious security problems in Acapulco these days and the fact that Cancún may soon be experiencing them as well. Perhaps this was news to the OP, and he posted the link to start a conversation about this sad situation.


Have things changed since 2017 in either the state of dismalness in Acapulco or the lessening of the gang threat in Cancun? If so, please enlighten.

If not...


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## AlanMexicali

LoggedIn said:


> Isla Verde said:
> 
> 
> 
> Though I hadn't seen this video before, I am aware of the serious security problems in Acapulco these days and the fact that Cancún may soon be experiencing them as well. Perhaps this was news to the OP, and he posted the link to start a conversation about this sad situation.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Have things changed since 2017 in either the state of dismalness in Acapulco or the lessening of the gang threat in Cancun? If so, please enlighten.
> 
> If not...
Click to expand...


They arrested the leader of the Cancun Cartel and some of her employees and siezed property from them less than a year ago.


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## chicois8

AlanMexicali said:


> They arrested the leader of the Cancun Cartel and some of her employees and siezed property from them less than a year ago.


Seems the CJNG ( Cartel Jalisco Nueva Generacion ) is at war with Los Zetas in the Rivera Maya presently.........


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## sbeech

Just returned from my normal 6-monthly Cancun-Playa-Chetumal border run, and was actually stood outside the ADO bus station on 12th street? in Playa, when a gunfight broke out.....I was actually holding 2 beers at the time, which is why I didn't take the locals advice and dive for cover......6pm-ish on the 25th Jan? (I admit, I was a bit tipsy after a few beers in the centre and my Chetumal bus was delayed for an hour, hence my need for a couple of extra beers from the nearby Oxxo)
A Dutch female tourist was hit twice in the crossfire, but apparently was not seriously injured (apparently a few bullet holes are no longer counted as serious?)
The Cancun-Playa Del Carmen stretch of beaches is getting seriously dangerous now.....according to the local paper, a dismembered body was dumped in Cancun the same night, the 25th, with a narco message attached to it....my Mexican is not too good but something along the lines of "we are all making millions, don't rock the boat"
On returning "home" to San Luis Potosi, this was the only link I could find to the gunfight
....Ooops, apparently I cannot post links so you need to type "Dutch tourist injured in Playa Del Carmen gun battle....25th Jan"


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## TundraGreen

sbeech said:


> Just returned from my normal 6-monthly Cancun-Playa-Chetumal border run, and was actually stood outside the ADO bus station on 12th street? in Playa, when a gunfight broke out.....I was actually holding 2 beers at the time, which is why I didn't take the locals advice and dive for cover......6pm-ish on the 25th Jan? (I admit, I was a bit tipsy after a few beers in the centre and my Chetumal bus was delayed for an hour, hence my need for a couple of extra beers from the nearby Oxxo)
> A Dutch female tourist was hit twice in the crossfire, but apparently was not seriously injured (apparently a few bullet holes are no longer counted as serious?)
> The Cancun-Playa Del Carmen stretch of beaches is getting seriously dangerous now.....according to the local paper, a dismembered body was dumped in Cancun the same night, the 25th, with a narco message attached to it....my Mexican is not too good but something along the lines of "we are all making millions, don't rock the boat"
> On returning "home" to San Luis Potosi, this was the only link I could find to the gunfight
> ....Ooops, apparently I cannot post links so you need to type "Dutch tourist injured in Playa Del Carmen gun battle....25th Jan"



After 5 posts you will be able to post links and use the Private Message system.


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## chicois8

Sbeech writes “”my Mexican is not too good but “”
Do you mean....my Spanish is not too good but.


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## sbeech

chicois8 said:


> Sbeech writes “”my Mexican is not too good but “”
> Do you mean....my Spanish is not too good but.


My apologies, my understanding was that the Mexican language was a particular version of Spanish (I should of course have added "language" or "Spanish" after the word Mexican in the original post.....I stand corrected.

Being from England, most Brits grew up on a diet of Spanish mainland holidays every year, where the language spoken there has several differences to the "Spanish" spoken here......take the first word that most Brits learn as an example "Gracias" spoken as GraTHias.....try saying that here and everyone thinks you have a lisp!....the first thing I was told was to stop trying to speak Spain Spanish and learn Mexican Spanish, I'm getting there...slowly

Thanks for the advice......lifted this from the tinternet.

For example, the Mexicans and the Spanish share a common language – which is Spanish. However, there are little differences between the two versions of language. This is exemplified by different accents, dialects, and language usage (includes colloquialisms, slang, pronunciation, and others).

A particular example would be the grouping of the Spanish language. Spanish can apply to any set of the language’s variants. There is a Peninsular or Castilian Spanish and the American Spanish. The latter category can be further classified into the South American Pacific, Central American, Caribbean Spanish, and the Highland American Spanish. Another variant is the Argentine, Uruguayan, and Paraguayan Spanish.

On the other hand, Mexican Spanish is a specific classification of the Spanish language in both Highland American and Caribbean Spanish.

Differences in technicalities within the Spanish Language (in particular the Castilian Spanish) and Mexican Spanish are also obvious. European Spanish speakers pronounce the “z” and the “c” sound before the vowels “i” or “e” in a word. Meanwhile, the Mexican Spanish speakers, like the rest of Latin American Spanish speakers, pronounce the “s” sound.


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## Isla Verde

sbeech said:


> Differences in technicalities within the Spanish Language (in particular the Castilian Spanish) and Mexican Spanish are also obvious. European Spanish speakers pronounce the “z” and the “c” sound before the vowels “i” or “e” in a word. Meanwhile, the Mexican Spanish speakers, like the rest of Latin American Spanish speakers, pronounce the “s” sound.


"European Spanish speakers pronounce the "z" and the "c" sounds before the vowels "i" or "e" in a word" seems to have a word or words missing. In some parts of Spain, the "z" and "c" before "i" and "e" are pronounced like a soft "th", but this is not true of the whole country.


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## citlali

Each country has its varient but if you speak Spanish you can understand the various versions except for the words that derive from the local vocabulary and you can quickly pick that up.It is the same with French or English.. The Queen's English caries from American English or Australian English or the English spoken in India but t is the same language. 
If you speak good Spanish from Mexico the Spaniards have no problem understanding you and vice and versa.


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## LoggedIn

sbeech said:


> Just returned from my normal 6-monthly Cancun-Playa-Chetumal border run, and was actually stood outside the ADO bus station on 12th street? in Playa, when a gunfight broke out.....I was actually holding 2 beers at the time, which is why I didn't take the locals advice and dive for cover......6pm-ish on the 25th Jan? (I admit, I was a bit tipsy after a few beers in the centre and my Chetumal bus was delayed for an hour, hence my need for a couple of extra beers from the nearby Oxxo)
> A Dutch female tourist was hit twice in the crossfire, but apparently was not seriously injured (apparently a few bullet holes are no longer counted as serious?)
> The Cancun-Playa Del Carmen stretch of beaches is getting seriously dangerous now.....according to the local paper, a dismembered body was dumped in Cancun the same night, the 25th, with a narco message attached to it....my Mexican is not too good but something along the lines of "we are all making millions, don't rock the boat"
> On returning "home" to San Luis Potosi, this was the only link I could find to the gunfight
> ....Ooops, apparently I cannot post links so you need to type "Dutch tourist injured in Playa Del Carmen gun battle....25th Jan"


This?

https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-6565737/7-dead-shooting-Mexican-resort-Playa-del-Carmen.html


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## lat19n

...

Maybe you should focus more on Everglades City.


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## sbeech

Breaking news.......another bar attacked yesterday in Cancun....5 dead and 5 injured in La Kuka Club, Cancun, in an area only 4 miles from the Hotel Zone.

It certainly looks as if the authorities there have now lost control of the situation....will the place look as deserted as Acapulco in a few years time?

On a separate note, my Cancun hotel attempted to take a photocopy of my UK passport two weeks ago on my arrival there.....when I asked the girl why, she told me that their hotel policy was to keep photocopies of all International passports "for their records"...mmmmm....I refused to allow her to walk away with it, the manager was called and my passport, with my picture, was returned to me uncopied.....I hate to think of me walking around a few bars or clubs in a "troubled area" with someone possibly having a copy of my picture and nationality in their possession....paranoid?.......I spent 4 nights up in Holbox, in 2 different hotels, and nobody even asked to see my passport, let alone photocopy it!

https://www.theguardian.com/world/2...people-gunned-down-in-mexicos-tourist-hotspot


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## Zorro2017

Yesterday, five dead, five wounded.

Five people have been shot dead and five more wounded in Cancún after gunmen burst into a bar in the Mexican resort city and opened fire.

Quintana Roo state prosecutors said the attack on Saturday took place in a club called La Kuka, on a main avenue in central Cancún about 6km (4 miles) away from the Caribbean resort city’s seaside tourist hotel zone, situated on the Yucatán Peninsula.

Prosecutors said four men carrying a long gun and three handguns entered and began shooting. Two of the injured were in critical condition.


Cancún: from tourist beach paradise to hotbed of Mexico's drug violence

Violence has been rising in Cancún and the state of Quintana Roo as a whole amid reports of the Jalisco New Generation cartel moving into the area and fighting local gangs for control.

https://www.theguardian.com/world/2...people-gunned-down-in-mexicos-tourist-hotspot


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## lagoloo

Zorro must think that nobody else reads the news.

At least ALL the violence, doom and gloom isn't in the lake Chapala area.


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## lat19n

This thread should have been moved to the chat area a long time ago.

It is of zero value to me living my expat life in Mexico.


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## lat19n

lat19n said:


> This thread should have been moved to the chat area a long time ago.
> 
> It is of zero value to me living my expat life in Mexico.


Sorry - that was wrong of me to say...

We subscribe to Amazon Kindle Unlimited. When I start reading a new book and decide I don't like it - I return it for another one.

I'm off to find some new reading material more to my liking. 

Enjoy !


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## LoggedIn

*Marines on Cancun beaches days before suspected cartel gunman kills 5 in bar...*

Mexican marines patrol the beach of Playacar, near the seaside tourist resort of Playa del Carmen, Quintana Roo State, on February 14, 2019. - Playa del Carmen and nearby Cancun are the top tourist destinations...

At least LEO and the military are being realistic about the imminent threat.

https://www.lmtonline.com/news/us-world/border-mexico/article/Photos-show-tourists-Marines-on-Cancun-beaches-13625136.php


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## Zorro2017

lat19n said:


> This thread should have been moved to the chat area a long time ago.
> 
> It is of zero value to me living my expat life in Mexico.


It's of 100% value to the future expats considering Cancun.


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## AstonsPapa

Zorro2017 said:


> Yesterday, five dead, five wounded.
> 
> Five people have been shot dead and five more wounded in Cancún after gunmen burst into a bar in the Mexican resort city and opened fire.
> 
> Quintana Roo state prosecutors said the attack on Saturday took place in a club called La Kuka, on a main avenue in central Cancún about 6km (4 miles) away from the Caribbean resort city’s seaside tourist hotel zone, situated on the Yucatán Peninsula.
> 
> Prosecutors said four men carrying a long gun and three handguns entered and began shooting. Two of the injured were in critical condition.
> 
> 
> Cancún: from tourist beach paradise to hotbed of Mexico's drug violence
> 
> Violence has been rising in Cancún and the state of Quintana Roo as a whole amid reports of the Jalisco New Generation cartel moving into the area and fighting local gangs for control.
> 
> 
> Violence in the United States NOT involving drugs, prostitution OR cartels. but regular employees, although it doesnt fit your agenda, just happened in Aurora, Illinois at someone's workplace. 5 dead, 4 cops shot and a couple more injured.


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## AstonsPapa

AstonsPapa said:


> Zorro2017 said:
> 
> 
> 
> Yesterday, five dead, five wounded.
> 
> Five people have been shot dead and five more wounded in Cancún after gunmen burst into a bar in the Mexican resort city and opened fire.
> 
> Quintana Roo state prosecutors said the attack on Saturday took place in a club called La Kuka, on a main avenue in central Cancún about 6km (4 miles) away from the Caribbean resort city’s seaside tourist hotel zone, situated on the Yucatán Peninsula.
> 
> Prosecutors said four men carrying a long gun and three handguns entered and began shooting. Two of the injured were in critical condition.
> 
> 
> Cancún: from tourist beach paradise to hotbed of Mexico's drug violence
> 
> Violence has been rising in Cancún and the state of Quintana Roo as a whole amid reports of the Jalisco New Generation cartel moving into the area and fighting local gangs for control.
> 
> 
> Violence in the United States NOT involving drugs, prostitution OR cartels. but regular employees, although it doesnt fit your agenda, just happened in Aurora, Illinois at someone's workplace. 5 dead, 4 cops shot and a couple more injured.
> 
> 
> 
> https://www.bbc.com/news/world-us-canada-47261314
Click to expand...


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## Zorro2017

We don't live in Ashton and have no plans of doing so. But many plan on living in the Yucatan and this matters to them. They aren't going to retire in Ashton.


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## LoggedIn

Zorro2017 said:


> We don't live in Ashton and have no plans of doing so. But many plan on living in the Yucatan and this matters to them. They aren't going to retire in Ashton.


Or Tulum? 

https://www.thecut.com/2019/02/who-killed-tulum.html


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## LoggedIn




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## DiverSailor123

The Scambo Rambos are Long Gone .....before the issues come to the surface.. 4 Reefs are dying over in the waters off Cozumel... and all the Government does is hold its hands out to tourist for MORE MONEY...


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## lat19n

DiverSailor123 said:


> The Scambo Rambos are Long Gone .....before the issues come to the surface.. 4 Reefs are dying over in the waters off Cozumel... and all the Government does is hold its hands out to tourist for MORE MONEY...


In my opinion - the thing you do not want is government intervention - US or Mexican or anywhere - in reef health issues. Have you been diving off the SE Florida coast ? How's that Army Corp of Engineers tire reef going ? When I was in my 20's I helped lay out the underwater nature trail off Buck Island USVI. When we returned years later we were disappointed to see the coral bleaching. SE Florida also has that red algae doing a number on its reefs.

I have a degree in tropical marine biology (boy was that a mistake) but I am not a huge environmentalist. Stuff happens - best for man to keep out of nature's way...


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## DiverSailor123

I disagree... I seldom see private entities being successful with major problems when the solution is a huge financial commitment..They just don't have the financial resources. With all that the Governments are doing we still see messes and if Governments around the world collectively abandoned their efforts and rely as you suggest on Private solutions ? We would RIGHT NOW be living in the proverbial TOILET.. Yes The ACE Army Corp of Engineers has had some failures, but they have had a lot of successes too. That you only point to one failure and seem to feel and believe strongly the Little People will fix it it.... That The Polluters can be trusted to Police themselves is in and of itself no less amusing. Reef Bleaching was from exceedingly high water temperatures throughout the Caribbean in 2005. Red Tide.. I wasnt aware that SE Florida had a Red Tide Issue?? I LIVE in SWF / Charlotte Harbor and Yes SWF has reaccuring issues with Red Tide and Texas is seeing more and more of it and FLORIDA Residents are paying to experiment with specialized clay's to better control it . I will discuss Buck Island with my Niece she has lived on St Croix for a number of years and is active in numerous environmental groups ... IMHO NGO's are better suited to Public awareness than actual problem solutions..Prior to the early 1970s, red tide was believed to originate inshore, but scientists have since found that it begins in nutrient-poor water 11 to 46 miles offshore.
Cyanobacteria, known also as blue-green algae, have been found in fossils that date back more than 3 1/2 billion years. These two issues have been around for awhile and will more than likely continued to be here.. ALL THAT SAID numerous Groups made up of private citizens brought a reduction to garbage and sewage dumping by _Pigs Of The Sea_ / aka Cruise Boats!! Numerous Floating Plastic Garbage Islands in our Oceans have been the effects of Cruise Ships.. 




lat19n said:


> In my opinion - the thing you do not want is government intervention - US or Mexican or anywhere - in reef health issues. Have you been diving off the SE Florida coast ? How's that Army Corp of Engineers tire reef going ? When I was in my 20's I helped lay out the underwater nature trail off Buck Island USVI. When we returned years later we were disappointed to see the coral bleaching. SE Florida also has that red algae doing a number on its reefs.
> 
> I have a degree in tropical marine biology (boy was that a mistake) but I am not a huge environmentalist. Stuff happens - best for man to keep out of nature's way...


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## lat19n

Putting that aside for a moment - your initial rant was that "4 Reefs are dying over in the waters off Cozumel... and all the Government does is hold its hands out to tourist for MORE MONEY..."

The waters that flow up between Cozumel and the coast come from a far distance away. What is it exactly you are proposing that the government of Mexico can do affect the reefs off Cozumel ?


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## LoggedIn

*Cancun & Riviera Maya: hotel rates fall even more than the occupation*

_"There is concern on the tourism sector in Quintana Roo. Issues such as sargasso, insecurity..."_

https://www.theyucatantimes.com/2019/03/cancun-riviera-maya-hotel-rates-fall-even-more-than-the-occupation/

Comments...

_"The sargassum is hitting us very hard, almost 300% more in volume in relation to last year..."_

_"No Surprise for me. The Sargassum is a 4 year issue already. This area priced itself out of the market. There is a noise issue. All those dirty smelly dogs don't help. And Garbage where ever you go."_

_"I just got back from 3 weeks in the Yucatan. Traveled to Cancun, pourto Morelos, pourto aventuras, Akumal, Tulum, Punta Allen, valladolid, And Holbox. They all had one thing in common, sargasso. The other thing they had in common was 1 or2 guys with a wheelbarrow trying to clean in up. What a joke...I have been going to the Yucatan for over 30 yrs. Things have gotten so bad that this was my last year, I won't be going back. Too much crime, social problems, pollution, stray dogs, dishonest gas stations, corrupt police, high prices, etc I fell in love with Yucatan on my honeymoon 32 yrs ago. And now I'm done."_

Hm. :rant:


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## lat19n

Mexico has no monopoly on sargassum seaweed. For most of the 25+ years we lived in South Florida there was a similar problem. Only difference is that rather than tackling the weeds with wheel barrels and rakes they rely on John Deere to get out every morning at dawn. They dig massive graves (normally on town boundaries) and bury the weeds before the tourists are finished breakfast. 

https://www.sun-sentinel.com/news/florida/fl-seaweed-cleanup-20180719-story.html

And that sand - most every year they spend MILLIONS of dollars pumping it (in pipes) from the horizon, across the three reef systems - all so that the tourists have a picture perfect postcard view from their hotel windows.

https://www.sun-sentinel.com/news/florida/fl-sb-sand-hollywood-beach-20180123-story.html


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## DiverSailor123

Thank You For The Links........Whats Important to note ( and first read or at least listen to the links BEFORE Commenting) is the HUGE Difference in solution methods..Mexico Has NONE to speak of..Mexico chooses to hire a few old guys for a few pesos in hopes to reatain a Multiubillion Dollar Business????? A Major Portion of Mexico National Income is derived from Tourism...Yet Mexico's Federal Government does next to nothing or nothing at all...We saw the failures all up and down the beach near Progresso and decided not to buy..Cozumel where we owned and I taught Scuba and did Building Construction and home remodels gets No Less Than $2 Per person off every Cruise boat visitor every year and yet? They are right now with their handsssss out to tourist to pay for a cure for a disease or pollution that is KILLING Their reef system. So Relying on mechanization to correct a problem is PURE GENIUS comparatively speaking anyway to relying on a few old men with shovels and rakes and wheel barrels to protect one of your most important attributes
...


lat19n said:


> Mexico has no monopoly on sargassum seaweed. For most of the 25+ years we lived in South Florida there was a similar problem. Only difference is that rather than tackling the weeds with wheel barrels and rakes they rely on John Deere to get out every morning at dawn. They dig massive graves (normally on town boundaries) and bury the weeds before the tourists are finished breakfast.
> 
> https://www.sun-sentinel.com/news/florida/fl-seaweed-cleanup-20180719-story.html
> 
> And that sand - most every year they spend MILLIONS of dollars pumping it (in pipes) from the horizon, across the three reef systems - all so that the tourists have a picture perfect postcard view from their hotel windows.
> 
> https://www.sun-sentinel.com/news/florida/fl-sb-sand-hollywood-beach-20180123-story.html


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## lat19n

DiverSailor123 said:


> Thank You For The Links........Whats Important to note ( and first read or at least listen to the links BEFORE Commenting) is the HUGE Difference in solution methods..Mexico Has NONE to speak of..Mexico chooses to hire a few old guys for a few pesos in hopes to reatain a Multiubillion Dollar Business????? A Major Portion of Mexico National Income is derived from Tourism...Yet Mexico's Federal Government does next to nothing or nothing at all...We saw the failures all up and down the beach near Progresso and decided not to buy..Cozumel where we owned and I taught Scuba and did Building Construction and home remodels gets No Less Than $2 Per person off every Cruise boat visitor every year and yet? They are right now with their handsssss out to tourist to pay for a cure for a disease or pollution that is KILLING Their reef system. So Relying on mechanization to correct a problem is PURE GENIUS comparatively speaking anyway to relying on a few old men with shovels and rakes and wheel barrels to protect one of your most important attributes
> ...


Are you another Ex-resident of Mexico pontificating what it is you think Mexico should be doing ?

Perhaps Mexico could install parking meters along the coasts to raise funds to buy tractors to clean weed from beaches. Or maybe they could install traffic cameras on every street corner and pay for those tractors from fines collected. Or maybe they could simply impose a hotel tax...

You still haven't answered my question - What is it exactly you are proposing that the government of Mexico can do to affect the reefs off Cozumel ?

When I have an albanil come to the house to do work - I smile as he chips away at his work with a hammer and chisel.


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## DiverSailor123

Hahahaha well lets address THE FACTS... Tourist Dollars Brought To Mexico and US Dollars wired to Mexico from the USA, both position themselves every year somewhere between #'s 2 and #4 for the largest sources of outside income For The Country of Mexico! What do you think Mexico might consider doing to save one of its major sources of income ... I reading about extensive reductions in Hotel Occupancy in spite of a strong Tourist Economy in the USA Canada most if not all of Europe.. 



lat19n said:


> Are you another Ex-resident of Mexico pontificating what it is you think Mexico should be doing ?
> 
> Perhaps Mexico could install parking meters along the coasts to raise funds to buy tractors to clean weed from beaches. Or maybe they could install traffic cameras on every street corner and pay for those tractors from fines collected. Or maybe they could simply impose a hotel tax...
> 
> You still haven't answered my question - What is it exactly you are proposing that the government of Mexico can do to affect the reefs off Cozumel ?
> 
> When I have an albanil come to the house to do work - I smile as he chips away at his work with a hammer and chisel.


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## DiverSailor123

I told you Cozumel gets $2 per person on every Cruise Boat that lands on Cozumel ( Plus what they spend ) And.. Cozumel already charges $2 per diver per day and Right Now they Have a Hand Out Because Americans are TOO caring Easy Hits.


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## LoggedIn

lat19n said:


> Mexico has no monopoly on sargassum seaweed. For most of the 25+ years we lived in South Florida there was a similar problem. Only difference is that rather than tackling the weeds with wheel barrels and rakes they rely on John Deere to get out every morning at dawn...


I looked at over 100 images of sargassum removal and in only the fewest were there John Deere's. Those images were in front of the major hotels and not along the vast majority of the Caribbean shoreline. 

https://benedictedesrus.photoshelter.com/image/I00004TkKtB012os



> And that sand - most every year they spend MILLIONS of dollars pumping it (in pipes) from the horizon, across the three reef systems - all so that the tourists have a picture perfect postcard view from their hotel windows.
> 
> https://www.sun-sentinel.com/news/florida/fl-sb-sand-hollywood-beach-20180123-story.html


As you noted, we live in Southern Florida, this is a bandaid, a shallow effort to cover [sic] a more extensive, ecological problem.


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## LoggedIn

Many expats review their options re: Mexico and without a doubt one of the most attractive regions is the Quintana Roo region. The fact that this region is being targeted by an influx of Mexican gangs is an extremely new and significant event.

Noting the history of how these gangs infiltrate virgin territories, there should be no surprise the QRoo is in their crosshairs. To ignore is to play the fool.

Sargassum comes, sargassum goes. Terrorism by local hoodlums has a tendency to grow unabetted as Mexico's recent history teaches us all too well..


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## DiverSailor123

I agree CRIME is a HUGE deterrent for Tourism.. A friend of mine , now passed away was involved with a form of Casinos in The QRoo. He claimed he saw signs close to 20 years ago of those , seeking out ripe fields.. from which to harvest.. Young with No Money No Job No Future.. Those are ripe fields waiting to be Harvested..





LoggedIn said:


> Many expats review their options re: Mexico and without a doubt one of the most attractive regions is the Quintana Roo region. The fact that this region is being targeted by an influx of Mexican gangs is an extremely new and significant event.
> 
> Noting the history of how these gangs infiltrate virgin territories, there should be no surprise the QRoo is in their crosshairs. To ignore is to play the fool.
> 
> Sargassum comes, sargassum goes. Terrorism by local hoodlums has a tendency to grow unabetted as Mexico's recent history teaches us all too well..


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## UrbanMan

I find it difficult to get a true take on any place in Mexico. 

Seems its common for websites to have either, a) moderators/participants who want to hush up the fact there are significant problems, or, b) The opposite, the moderators/participants exaggerate or react too strongly to the fact there is some crime, pollution issues, bad zones like any city has, or whatever the routine, less-than-perfect local goings-on are.

The recent postings in this thread have described that there are problems. 

But there must be good things as well. There must be some expats who are making friendships, living safely, and enjoying Cancun and what it has to offer.

Does anyone have good things to say about life in Cancun?


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## LoggedIn

*Hotel occupation on the rise in Isla Mujeres and Chetumal*

Good news? 

_"The report of the State Tourism Secretariat (Sedetur) measures the occupation divided into five regions or destinations: 

- Cancun and Puerto Morelos
- Cozumel 
- Riviera Maya 
- Isla Mujeres 
- Chetumal...

...the first three with a slight drop."_

https://www.theyucatantimes.com/2019/03/hotel-occupation-on-the-rise-in-isla-mujeres-and-chetumal/


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## LoggedIn

*Canadian reporter on Playa del Carmen*

Are Canadian tourists in the Mayan Riviera at risk of getting caught in cartel cross fire?

https://www.theyucatantimes.com/2019/04/canadian-reporter-publishes-eye-opening-article-about-the-situation-in-playa-del-carmen-video/

Investigative reporter Avery Haines gets rare access to a Mexican drug boss, for a far-reaching and disturbing interview that airs as part of her W5 documentary, “The Narco Riviera” (watch below).

“Manuel” agreed to meet with W5 to talk about the cartel turf war that has led to a record number of murders in a Canadian tourist mecca. *Warning: details may be disturbing.*


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## lat19n

[Cut]

Perhaps you should post your video on the Canadian forum as well.

Personally - I think Canadians should seriously consider visiting South Florida rather than Mexico - many many many already do. They can all drive their RVs (all Canadians have an RV don't they) down to the I75 corridor between Fort Myers and say Marco Island. There are a TON of Canadian friendly trailer parks there for them. 

Then they can all sit around in the evening and read posts such as yours and realize just how lucky they are to not live in the cesspool that is Mexico.


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## LoggedIn

lat19n said:


> ...Perhaps you should post your video on the Canadian forum as well.


If the admin believe that would be appropriate, I'm sure they can handle the cross-linking.



> Personally - I think Canadians should seriously consider visiting South Florida rather than Mexico - many many many already do. They can all drive their RVs (all Canadians have an RV don't they) down to the I75 corridor between Fort Myers and say Marco Island. There are a TON of Canadian friendly trailer parks there for them.


Perhaps you meant "drive down US 41" where 90% of the 'trailer parks' are located. Here's the one we are in.








> Then they can all sit around in the evening and read posts such as yours and realize just how lucky they are to not live in the cesspool that is Mexico.


It is legitimate to use ridicule when a position is worthy of ridicule. _*Warning:*_ This is a risky proposition, however, because of the subjectiveness of what kind of argument is actually ridicule worthy. Misplaced ridicule can appear as a sign of desperation, but carefully placed ridicule can be a witty move that can work logically and win over an audience emotionally, as well.

FYI.

Next time? Be witty.


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## lat19n

Hmm - is your name Bo Bennett ?.

https://www.logicallyfallacious.com/tools/lp/Bo/LogicalFallacies/42/Appeal-to-Ridicule

"Evolution is the idea that humans come from pond scum.

Explanation: It is ridiculous to think that we come from pond scum, and it is not true. It is more accurate to say that we come from exploding stars as every atom in our bodies was once in a star. By creating a ridiculous and misleading image, the truth claim of the argument is overlooked.

Exception: It is legitimate to use ridicule when a position is worthy of ridicule. This is a risky proposition, however, because of the subjectiveness of what kind of argument is actually ridicule worthy. As we have seen, misplaced ridicule can appear as a sign of desperation, but carefully placed ridicule can be a witty move that can work logically and win over an audience emotionally, as well."


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## lat19n

Plagiarism is really a terrible thing.

Not so long ago this site was hacked and most/all user info was compromised. 

I suspect that it would not be that difficult for someone living in an eastern European country to pose as an expat in Mexico (or not even).


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## LoggedIn

*One-on-one with a Mexican cartel boss*

_"Quintana Roo State, with a population of one-and-a-half million people, encompasses tourist hotspots like Playa Del Carmen and Cancun. In 2018, an astounding 840 people were killed. By comparison, in Toronto, Ont., with a population almost twice as large, there were just 51 gun deaths that year. The number of murders in this small state has skyrocketed by 335 per cent in the past two years. Someone is killed once every 10 hours."_

Drug cartels battle for control of Mexican tourist hotspots...The Narco Riviera..._"Sitting across from me, in a narco safehouse in Playa Del Carmen: the head of the Mayan Riviera drug trade for the Sinaloa cartel, responsible for both feeding the high tourist demand, and for transporting some 300 kilograms of cocaine a month up to the U.S. border."_






Investigative reporter Avery Haines gets rare access to a Mexican drug boss, for a far-reaching and disturbing interview that airs as part of her W5 documentary, "The Narco Riviera"


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## citlali

So there are cartels in Playa del Carmen or Cancun?? Pleeze give us a break with that channel and that reporter. 
So there are cartels and like everywhere else in Mexico they are not nice people except to cheesecakes.They also do not have anything to do with tourists or people who stay away from drugs. So the danger is to be caught in a crossfire.. some random act.. like there are in so many places..
You have to be really bored or looking for cheap thrills to look at that type of reporting.. Yes Florida is so much better.


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## LoggedIn

citlali said:


> So there are cartels in Playa del Carmen or Cancun??


Appears to be so. 

https://beta.ctvnews.ca/national/features/one-on-one-with-a-mexican-cartel-boss.html



> Yes Florida is so much better.


It is? Where in Florida do you live?


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## citlali

My husband is from Alabama so we looked at Florida to retire and promptly eliminated the possibility.. To each its own...


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## DiverSailor123

That was a hilarious response hahahahaha...There are so many differences to be found in Florida you could never eliminate them promptly. Example.. Home Cost Alone ...My Home where we live, is valued at around $400K but 50 miles NE its down to $200K but 50 miles Due North its worth closer to $550K and it continues up in value for just about every mile for another 100+ Miles..Ahhh but Turn the Compass and head south and in the beginning of your travels its just about the same scenario except at the point when you hit the Keys, when this homes value well exceeds $1Millon dollars .. and I sail from my backyard dock into Charlotte Harbor and then the GOM..


citlali said:


> My husband is from Alabama so we looked at Florida to retire and promptly eliminated the possibility.. To each its own...


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## lat19n

Years ago my parents retired to the Fort Myers area. I enjoyed our visits and I enjoyed Sanibel Island. We also enjoyed the sugary sand beaches up near the panhandle. 

My wife and I lived 25+ years on the other coast. We also had a boat in the back yard on a 100' wide NFB canal. It was no wake out but we could easily be in the water say 20 minutes off our dock.

We left Florida because : we were ready for a change, we were tired of paying something like 400-500 electric bills, 14,000 property taxes, 200-300 water bills and on and on. We owned our house and we self-insured. That saved us something like 6-8,000 dollars for windstorm insurance and a similar amount for home owner's insurance. 

I'm happy you are happy with SWF - but that would never have worked for us.


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## citlali

We lived in Mobile and we have visited Florida plenty of times to know there is nothing there for us. I like Mexico a whole lot better than Florida.. and just because we lived in Mobile does not mean we only know the ******* riviera. I Went to the Keys and Miami and Tampa and Orlando . I am not interested in the price of the houses because we also lived in California when we retired and we could afford a very nice house in Florida.. I do not like beaches so I would not move there for the beaches either. I like the culture in Mexico and do not care for Florida.. I think that for me it is cultural as we could have afforded to live at the beach in many places in Florida.


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## xolo

How refreshing that Citlali has mentioned culture. I'm tired of the repetitious posts with the periodic comment that Mexico is paradise. Or like the above argument over where in Florida is better (sorry, I didn't read the posts, too irrelevant to me personally).
Maybe it's me, I'm many years into studying Mexican cultures and languages, but I also prefer Mexico over many places in the USA, although I would not say that Mexico is paradise, whatever that means. I find the cultures and languages to my liking.


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## lat19n

Culture - what is that exactly ? And to use the word in plural - how does that work ? 

If culture is the way people interact with each other (their norms) - the Mexican people I am most comfortable with are the most educated, often times the wealthiest in our lives. For one thing - there are no surprises or pretenses. They are also the most generous. I am not an indigenous, neither here not in the US. I appreciate the way they choose to live their lives, but I will never truly relate. 

I like physical/natural beauty. I enjoy that I can sit here in this chair typing on my laptop and look out at a panoramic view for 150 kms. I enjoy the beauty/creativity left behind from past Mexican civilizations - but even though I think I have gone through the Museum of Anthropology in Mexico City maybe 3 or 4 times - I can do it in 3 or 4 hours. I can spend more time than that on a nice beach.

Where I live - things go back a long time, and the people still live by the same old 'code' since then. There is very little police/army presence. If you do something that 'hurts' someone else - justice will be served - and I am not talking cartel action (which we have quite a bit of). 

I don't ask anything of any other person that I don't ask of myself. If you tell me something, if you commit to me, I expect you to live up to it. If you come to do gardening and we commit on a daily wage and agree that you will work from 9 to 4 with an hour for lunch - that doesn't work so well if you start showing up at 9:30. I'll tell you that once. Our present gardener, who I like a lot, is now showing up at 8:30...

One of the most memorable moments in Mexico for me was when I visited an auto repair shop for work on our rear suspension. The guy quoted very low and told us to come back in a couple hours. Well the guy under quoted by a lot because they worked on the car for about 8 hours. I felt bad and asked how could we make it up. He said - it is my mistake - and he refused to take a peso more than he quoted. (We have since given him more work).


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## citlali

Life in Mexico is closer to life in southern France where I was as a kid. That is what I mean by culture. I come from a Latin culture and I am more comfortable in a Latin culture than an Anglo one.

I agree that there are many different cultures and languages in Mexico , all indigenous are not the same and if you do not know that or recognize that fact you are missing a lot.

I enjoy physical beauty as well and at this time in my life I like the mountains and do not care for the sea. The other day I blew a tire on a road where it is not safe at night , so I rented a room in someone's house in an indigenous community as there was no other option. I got a safe place to sleep. No hot water but a temascal by a beautiful river. The night was beautiful , the waterfalls wonderful, the fireflies were magical on the banks of the river. In the morning I had a great breakfast with veggies fresh off the garden and had a great walk to someone's relative to check out the honey bees and I bought some honey, meanwhile my tire got fixed and I was able to leave refresh without any worry all of that for 300 pesos, including fixing the tire. I realized I left my wallet with quite a bit of money and I went back . When I got there the woman told me she had found it on the floor and gave it back to me with all the money intact..It was a great day altogether..that was a few kilometers from where the guys on a bicycle were killed a few months ago..


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## lat19n

France - I really only have one legitimate experience. On my wedding anniversary my manager walked into my office and said - you need to leave for Paris. Ok - when I asked - right now was the answer. Your flight leaves in 3-4 hours. btw - we could only get you a first class seat. (I was a grunt programmer). Oh - and you must stay a minimum of two weeks since the French are picking up the tab.

Called my wife. She packed a bag. Gave her a kiss/hug (Happy Anniversary!). Landed in Paris (no jacket, flip flops, short sleeve shirt) only to hop on an unheated bullet train destined for Clermont Ferrand (sp?). What do they call a ****** in France ? 

I literally completed my business within the first 24 hours - but I was committed to a two week stay - so I went clothes shopping. I ate better than at any time in my life (before or after). Personal interactions were a little interesting. I had meals in restaurants where I and perhaps a dozen men sat around the table and they never spoke a word of English (I spoke not a word of French). But - on the weekend - the manager/director had me stay in his house with his family. We visited the French Alps. I was sorry that my wife wasn't there to share it with.

So my view of French culture - first off - some of the most beautiful people on the planet. One on one - some of the nicest people on the planet. But in a group - not so much. But one of the most memorable two weeks of my life. 

Oh - and as I was leaving they asked me if I would be interested in relocating.


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## xolo

lat19n said:


> Culture - what is that exactly ? And to use the word in plural - how does that work ?


Mexico has 68 indigenous languages with 364 variants. They are also ethnicities. Thus the plural.

The rest of your post illustrates culture and sounds like the imaginary of the mestizo mainstream.

This is my study area and I FINALLY feel like I'm on track to advance to candidacy.


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## lat19n

xolo said:


> Mexico has 68 indigenous languages with 364 variants. They are also ethnicities. Thus the plural.
> 
> The rest of your post illustrates culture and sounds like the imaginary of the mestizo mainstream.
> 
> This is my study area and I FINALLY feel like I'm on track to advance to candidacy.


I don't know about 'mestizo mainstream' but the people near us are 'Nahuatlan'. 

And as for the justice I was trying to describe (for example) - last year some guy attempted to steal a tinaco and was caught. A week or so later he was found (dead) inside a sealed tinaco when the scent gave away his location.

I could give you other similar examples.

Good luck with your studies.


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## citlali

Well Lat1 that is a good story, they ignored you and did not speak English to you the whole time and then they ask you if you want to relocate? Funny .. of course they expected you to say no , end of the story. The French have a way to let you know when you are welcome and when you are not .


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## lat19n

citlali said:


> Well Lat1 that is a good story, they ignored you and did not speak English to you the whole time and then they ask you if you want to relocate? Funny .. of course they expected you to say no , end of the story. The French have a way to let you know when you are welcome and when you are not .


You could be right citla. But to be honest I thought the whole trip was kind of a test of sorts. I had a decent reputation within the company and had some friendly relations with some French developers who visited the US over the years. And I did help them save a very large client - which was the stated purpose for the trip to begin with. Who knows - my wife and I were very happy in Florida anyway - and I wasn't looking for a change.


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## lat19n

Actually - and this has been so long ago that it is just coming back from my brain's deep storage slowly. The real problem that (some of the French) had with my being at their lunch table was - they had failed - that was the reason I was sitting there. I was called in to solve their problem. Had I not been there perhaps another US developer would have been - but if it was left to the people sitting at the table - they would have lost a very large account. 

But that is not necessarily a French specific fault. I got to see a good part of the globe over the years. Other 'cultures' just seem to handle it differently.


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## lat19n

Ok - my final post on this topic - for my karma. It is not like anyone ever fails. It is more like misunderstandings. And some times, particularly with a new 'product', there can be a lot of those.


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## LoggedIn

*Playa del Carmen homicides up six times over last year*

https://mexiconewsdaily.com/news/homicides-up-six-times-over-last-year/

"_There were 55 homicides in Solidaridad, the municipality where the resort city is located, between January and March compared to nine in the first three months of last year.

The figure accounts for one-third of all murders in the state in the first quarter of this year and is equivalent to one-half of the total number of homicides in Solidaridad last year.

Only Benito Juárez, the municipality where Cancún is located, recorded a higher number of homicides between January and March, with 96.

The high murder rate in Playa del Carmen continues a trend that began in July last year_."

Makes the upcoming sargasso dump look like a small consideration.

https://mexiconewsdaily.com/news/massive-sargassum-arrival-imminent/


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## lat19n

Great info Loggedindude ! You have really enriched my current Mexican life. Please keep it coming.


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## ojosazules11

It is sad that the narco-violence has moved into such a beautiful place, but not surprising given the amount of money at play from tourism. My family and I spent a week in Playa del Carmen in March, at an AirBnB in a lower middle class Mexican part of town. It was a 15 minute walk to the public beach Playa Esmeralda, right through the _barrio_. After checking it out, we felt safe letting our 16 yr old daughter and her friend (who had come with us from Canada) walk to the beach on their own. We shopped at the local stores (the panadería, the tortillería, the frutería, the cremería, the pescadería and of course the abarrotes), we ate at local fonditas, and had a great time. We walked up and down the beach, since once you get on the beach from a public access point, you have access to all the beach, including in front of the big resorts, since all beaches in Mexico are public. Access to the beach can be a barrier if it’s through private land. There are 4 public beaches in Playa. The cleaner at our AirBnB said the current municipal president was trying to “privatize” these beaches, i.e. cut off public access points. It would be a shame and an injustice for Playenses to no longer have access to their own beaches. The public beach Playa Esmeralda is beautiful, with a fresh water cenote adjacent to the ocean. While there were some foreigners there, the vast majority of people using this beach were local. I hope it’s not true, or if true that it’s thwarted. We discovered in nearby Akumal that a local landowner has blocked off free public access to that beautiful beach. 

Lots of money = lots of politics, and sadly it attracts violent elements as well. Regardless, we enjoyed our stay and felt quite safe the entire time. There are always risks - at the beach people die from rogue waves or undertows, at home or away people die in accidents. The narco-violence is awful, but it’s not going to prevent me from spending time in places I love.


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## LoggedIn

*Cancun short-listed as urgent for National Guard implementation*

https://www.riviera-maya-news.com/cancun-short-listed-as-urgent-for-national-guard-implementation/2019.html

Incidents like this are becoming all too common...

_"An execution was committed early this Tuesday in the hotel zone, at kilometer 21, in front of the Nizuc hotel, where the driver of a truck lost his life by multiple shots, after being chased and intercepted in that place by the occupants of another vehicle."_

https://noticaribe.com.mx/2019/04/30/ejecucion-en-la-zona-hotelera-de-cancun-persiguen-y-matan-a-balazos-frente-al-hotel-nizuc-a-conductor-de-una-camioneta/

_"Four arrested in killing of Cancun police officer..."_

https://www.riviera-maya-news.com/four-arrested-in-killing-of-cancun-police-officer/2019.html


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## FoxIslander

I think the point was obvious. I joined this forum a couple years ago before I moved to MX...I stopped posting however due to the rudeness of replies here by the cabal of prominent posters who dominate it and seem to enjoy intimidating others especially newcomers. There was absolutely no reason for your nasty reply and cant imagine why why anyone would "like" it. Althought there is sometimes good info. here...it comes at a price I'm not willing to pay.


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## LoggedIn

FoxIslander said:


> I think the point was obvious. I joined this forum a couple years ago before I moved to MX...I stopped posting however due to the rudeness of replies here by the cabal of prominent posters who dominate it and seem to enjoy intimidating others especially newcomers. There was absolutely no reason for your nasty reply and cant imagine why why anyone would "like" it. Althought there is sometimes good info. here...it comes at a price I'm not willing to pay.


OK, let me put it another way. In the movie Jurassic Park, there's a scene where a researcher sticks her hand in a pile of dinosaur ****, digs around, and pulls out an undigested berry. You too may discover a crap covered berry, but to me, the price is way too high.

How's that?


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## AstonsPapa

LoggedIn said:


> OK, let me put it another way. In the movie Jurassic Park, there's a scene where a researcher sticks her hand in a pile of dinosaur ****, digs around, and pulls out an undigested berry. You too may discover a crap covered berry, but to me, the price is way too high.
> 
> How's that?


Why even stay here? There are some names when posting, that I can truly rely on. If I only want negative negative negative posts. Turns out, that's not why i'm here. I mean really, why bother with the negativity??


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## DebInFL

I'm sorry this has happened to these beautiful beaches, but the plain truth is that where there is mega money, there will be organized crime. The drug kingpins in the US are less brazen about where and when they murder people, for the most part, but they are no less ruthless. I feel safe on most of the Florida W. Coast beaches or in the panhandle, but I wouldn't move to the east coast for love nor money. Lots and lots and lots of money & lots and lots and lots of mafias and gangs. 

The #1 rule I've always heard about Mexico is not to go out at night. My son used to vacation in Yucatan, and he even told me that they never left the resort they were in at night, just stayed on the property. 

I just had a friend ask me if it was safe to drive alone as a retired woman from Tucson down the Pacific coast of Mexico. I told her only if she stayed on the cuotas and got to her hotel well before dark. Even here in a relatively safe city in N. Florida, that's my rule. 

Young people want to have fun, and they think they're invincible. My daddy always said that nothing good ever happens after 10 o'clock at night. Looking back on my life, I see where he was coming from.


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## Isla Verde

DebInFL said:


> The #1 rule I've always heard about Mexico is not to go out at night.


I live in Mexico City and go out at night, though if I'm alone, I am usually home by 9 or 9:30 pm.


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## TundraGreen

Isla Verde said:


> I live in Mexico City and go out at night, though if I'm alone, I am usually home by 9 or 9:30 pm.


I live in Guadalajara and often walk or bike home alone, often around midnight. I usually try to start home before midnight because the shared bicycle system I use shuts off at midnight. Occasionally, I walk home later than that. There are no guarantees, but I have had no problems so far in about a dozen years here. However, I don't hang out in bars that late (or at all). Mostly I'm at a movie or some friend's house.


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## lagoloo

Let us not forget that relative "safety" also depends on gender, whether we like to consider that...or not. It also depends on the nature of the neighborhood where the walking at night is done.
A lady driving down the Pacific Coast of Mexico alone? As advised, stay on the quotas and tuck in before dark. If there's car trouble, there's a number people can call on the quotas and get help.


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## citlali

We broke down in the middle of nowhere in Vera Cruz State and waited 4 hours for help, I sure am happy I was not alone..I frive the 1400 km between Ajijic and San Cristobal on a regular basis but I would not do it alone, I always get some one to share the trip.. there is always a young guy I know who is willing to take a trup and that makes t worth it to me. It is easy to be caught in traffic or bad weather or other problems and get stranded so I like to have someone with me.
As far as going out at night in Mexico ,alone I do it in areas I know well and stay away from deserted streets..wxcwpt for the street wher I live which is always desered at night..
There is no absolute wether in Mexico or anywhere else.. there are good ideas and bad deas but even bad ideas usually are ok..


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## LoggedIn

*Mexican drug cartels known for dismembering their victims*

..new breed of criminals who are turning Brit holiday hotspots Cancun and Playa Del Carmen into war zones.

_"Increasingly this stretch of paradise – which includes the white sandy beaches of Cancun, Playa del Carmen and Tulum – is blighted by cartels battling for power and territory."_

NB: "Increasingly"

_"The Sun went out on police patrol in Cancun, which has seen its murder rate explode in the last two years – from 205 in 2017 to 540 in 2018"_

_“The cartels also did not want to draw attention to particular areas that were important highways for transporting drugs from Mexico to the US. TERRIFYING VIOLENCE But now the new cartel members, like those from Jalisco New Generation, don’t respect the old rules. Something has changed."_

NB: "Changed"

https://www.thesun.co.uk/news/9275842/mexican-drug-cartel-cancun-tourists/


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