Throughout Mexico, centers of violence are predominately located around populated urban settings where the prevalence of extreme poverty and narcotic enterprises results in an increased threat to local citizenry and foreign nationals. The Mexican government has acknowledged that organized crime, especially drug trafficking and extortion rackets, pose the most serious threat to the economic and political stability of the country. However, TRC seeks to distinguish between crime related to Mexico?s robust drug trafficking syndicates and specific petty and violent crime directed at foreign nationals conducting business and/or vacationing in Mexico . Lumping these crimes into one grouping distorts the actual threat environment to foreign nationals.
Tourist as Targets of Criminal Activity
Poor impoverished Mexican communities often surround tourist destinations in Mexico, particularly those destinations in an urban setting. Nefarious elements within these local communities often directly target foreign tourists, seeking to exploit their perceived wealth and their ignorance of local culture through various criminal schemes. This is a common occurrence in the popular tourist destinations of Cancun and Acapulco, where service workers are regularly implicated in petty schemes to deprive tourists of money. The most common occurrence of this involves local taxi drivers overcharging for fares.
Petty theft of personnel property is considered the greatest threat to tourists in Mexico. Hotel service workers who target guests? valuables while they are out of their rooms routinely perpetrate petty thefts. The use of safe deposit boxes, often available in resort hotels, is strongly recommended. Additionally, tourists should make a copy of their passport and photo ID to carry with them at all times. While traveling or sightseeing, tourists should avoid wearing anything that might draw unwanted attention.
Mexican criminal statistics indicate rape as the most reported crime in Cancun. Exact figures for rape in Mexico are likely inaccurate, as a large percentage of victims do not report the incident to local authorities. Travelers to Cancun are strongly encouraged to avoid alcoholic beverages from unknown individuals and to watch their drinks closely while frequenting clubs and bars. Date raps drugs are often used to impair victims.
Kidnaps for ransom are largely confined to Mexico City and rarely are reported in resort areas. However, travelers to Mexico City should be aware of their surroundings at all times and travel in groups to deter possible abductors. When victimized by a crime, contact the local diplomatic mission along with Mexican police, which has a sizable corruption epidemic and are often implicated in crimes.
Organized Crime Syndicates
Drug trafficking is an expanding enterprise in Mexico, as Colombian drug cartels have established business relations with Mexican drug cartels, which have established a de facto state of control over several towns along the US-Mexico border, to include: Tijuana, Ciudad Juarez, Nuevo Laredo, Reynosa, and Matamoros. Mexico?s most notorious cartels?Gulf Cartel, Sinaloa Cartel, and Juarez Cartel–are engaged in a violent power struggle to secure the lucrative drug smuggling routes into the US. Travel to these cities is not recommended, as random shoot-outs between rival cartels occur frequently, often resulting in the death of innocent bystanders.
Thee tourist resort of Acapulco have also witnessed an increase in crime related to the drug trade, although violence is not as prevalent as that which occurs along the US-Mexico border. Drug-related violence has not traditionally targeted foreign residents or US tourists , although collateral damage cannot be discounted.
Future Trends
Outgoing President Vicente Fox commendably attempted to contain growing instability through the implementation of Operation ?Safe Mexico.? The operation was designed to target organized criminal enterprises and drug cartels operating along the US-Mexico border. Since the operation began in 2005, however, the situation has deteriorated significantly, with large elements of the Mexican army and police forces engaging in illicit activities alongside criminals.
President-elect Felipe Calderon has stated his determination to curtail and eliminate organized crime elements. However, it remains to be seen how he approaches the more entrenched difficulties facing the Mexican government, such as robust corruption and weak institutions.
Additionally, the passage of the Secure Fence Act, an emergency act that mandates operation control of all borders and ports through enhanced border patrol operations, physical barriers, and sophisticated technology, has received terrible press throughout Mexico, with the government and citizenry strongly condemning its passage. The effect a border fence will have on US-Mexican relations is yet to be determined. Moreover, the possibility that anti-American sentiment, generated by the construction of the fence, may cause Mexican citizenry to target US tourists is a cause for concern.
However, foreign travelers should remain relatively free from criminal targeting while vacationing at Mexican resort destinations and popular tourist locales.
