Guanajuato, Mexico -- I Felt Safe Therefore It Is So.

There was a couple from the States that wanted to chat about living in Central Mexico. There was a single woman who also contacted us about living in Mexico. We met them at a favorite restaurant in El Jardin. We met the couple and the single woman at different dates a month apart from one another.

In each encounter, and this was in 2009, during the conversation with these Americans they all said how they "felt safer" in Mexico than the United States. They boldly claimed how Mexico NEVER sees the crime they have in America and went on and on about "how safe they felt" in Mexico.

They "felt" therefore it was so.

I am on a Truth Campaign. It seems that though I have written about this extensively, the word is not out that Mexico is a country plagued with very big problems. So enormous are these problems that even the Mexicans are beginning to wake up and smell the tortillas: CRIME IS A PROBLEM.

It can be very problematic to come up with crime stats since a heck of a lot of crimes in Mexico go unreported and therefore the crime rates could be considerably higher than what the Mexican authorities report.

Rape, as an example, is rarely reported. This could be because the penalty for rape is so minor that the poor Mexican woman thinks what's the point and hassle of reporting it. In the campo, the countryside, the penalty for rape could be as minor as a couple of hours in the slammer. --Source

The rate of unreported crime is about 85% but varying from city to city and state to state. Murder tends to be reported more frequently than rape. Crimes are so infrequently reported due to the enormity of corruption in the law enforcement and judiciary.

If a Mexican national tries reporting an act of police corruption the levels above the police involved, district attorneys, and judges could be, and ofter are, in league with the corrupt police and will pull a few strings to get the cops off the hook. -- Source

And because of this widespread corruption in the Mexican government:

1. One out of ten crimes gets reported.
2. One out of a hundred crimes ever reaches sentencing.
2. One out of every 1000 crimes is punished.
(Source)

And, contrary to what American Gringos say as to crime itself and how it affects tourists and expats, crime in Mexico affects the Gringos in the following ways:

1. Extortion by Mexican Cops. -- Source
2. Kidnappings - Source
3. Armed Robbery
4. Pickpockets

Tourism has suffered.

So, what are you going to accept? Someone who says Mexico is safe because they had "never felt safer?" Or, are you going to accept the facts?

I opt for the facts. Thank-you very much!

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A Walk Through Mexico's Crown Jewel: A Guanajuato Travelogue CLICK HERE

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