Mexican military and their guns - safe?

[Saboteur]

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A ScubaBoard Staff Message...

This thread consists of off-topic posts split off from this thread: Port Captain This will enable the discussion to continue without the hijack of the above referenced thread. Sorry I am late to the party...have been without internet and phone service past few days. Marg, SB Senior Moderator

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You have to remember one important point. You are in a foreign country and not in America. You are a guest and if you are not happy you can leave.

Or not go there....I'd really love to dive Cozumel but I have not been to Mexico in 30 years. I'm not a fan of seeing automatic rifles brandished everywhere I go on vacation.

 

[Living The Dream In NJ]

Or not go there....I'd really love to dive Cozumel but I have not been to Mexico in 30 years. I'm not a fan of seeing automatic rifles brandished everywhere I go on vacation.

Was just in Cozumel end of October. No issues. Flew direct into Cozumel. No hassles, no problems, no feeling of being unsafe. We are street smart and there are places you don't want to walk around at night -- Chicago, St Louis, Philly, Newark, NJ, etc so a lot of it is just common sense.

Also was in Cali Colombia on business a week ago -- a bit more sketchy but same scenario -- just be smart and you will be just as safe as at home in most cases.

 

[mstevens]

I'm not a fan of seeing automatic rifles brandished everywhere I go on vacation.

I don't see the issue. I grew up surrounded by this as a USAF brat, including in Germany in the 70's when Ulrike Meinhof was still at large and Andreas Baader was locked up nearby - I felt much safer from the Red Army Faction when I saw people with automatic rifles in the uniform of my country outside the BX. When I see a Mexican Marine or QR state police officer with a weapon in clear sight it similarly gives me a sense of reassurance that they're watching out for me, my neighbors, and visitors.

I do not see any reason why civilians need military-style weapons, but I have no problem whatsoever with properly-trained military and law enforcement personnel carrying such weapons. I have literally never seen one "brandished" by anyone other than a civilian, and only ever in the US.

Want to see some heavy firepower? Have a look at what's being toted around Heathrow by polite young women in police uniforms. Would you avoid going to England because their airport security personnel are very heavily-armed?

 

[BRT]

I don't see the issue. I grew up surrounded by this as a USAF brat, including in Germany in the 70's when Ulrike Meinhof was still at large and Andreas Baader was locked up nearby - I felt much safer from the Red Army Faction when I saw people with automatic rifles in the uniform of my country outside the BX. When I see a Mexican Marine or QR state police officer with a weapon in clear sight it similarly gives me a sense of reassurance that they're watching out for me, my neighbors, and visitors.

I do not see any reason why civilians need military-style weapons, but I have no problem whatsoever with properly-trained military and law enforcement personnel carrying such weapons. I have literally never seen one "brandished" by anyone other than a civilian, and only ever in the US.

Want to see some heavy firepower? Have a look at what's being toted around Heathrow by polite young women in police uniforms. Would you avoid going to England because their airport security personnel are very heavily-armed?

Sometimes the officials use their military weapons to take a few "taxes" from those that are not armed.

 

[letterboy]

Sometimes the officials use their military weapons to take a few "taxes" from those that are not armed.

That never happens.

 

[Skittl1321]

I don't see the issue. I grew up surrounded by this as a USAF brat, including in Germany in the 70's when Ulrike Meinhof was still at large and Andreas Baader was locked up nearby - I felt much safer from the Red Army Faction when I saw people with automatic rifles in the uniform of my country outside the BX. When I see a Mexican Marine or QR state police officer with a weapon in clear sight it similarly gives me a sense of reassurance that they're watching out for me, my neighbors, and visitors.

I do not see any reason why civilians need military-style weapons, but I have no problem whatsoever with properly-trained military and law enforcement personnel carrying such weapons. I have literally never seen one "brandished" by anyone other than a civilian, and only ever in the US.

Want to see some heavy firepower? Have a look at what's being toted around Heathrow by polite young women in police uniforms. Would you avoid going to England because their airport security personnel are very heavily-armed?

I will say it never bothers me to see military with weapons (such as in airports, or when we were in Acapulco YEARS ago walking up and down the beach)- but it sounds quite scary that they boarded a boat with hands nearly on the trigger of said weapons.

I have never seen military in a tourist area with their rifles drawn in a ready to shoot position.

 

[Wookie]

I will say it never bothers me to see military with weapons (such as in airports, or when we were in Acapulco YEARS ago walking up and down the beach)- but it sounds quite scary that they boarded a boat with hands nearly on the trigger of said weapons.

I have never seen military in a tourist area with their rifles drawn in a ready to shoot position.

More like a carry arms position. The shoot position there is no doubt you are being aimed at.

 

[ReefHound]

I will say it never bothers me to see military with weapons (such as in airports, or when we were in Acapulco YEARS ago walking up and down the beach)- but it sounds quite scary that they boarded a boat with hands nearly on the trigger of said weapons.

I have never seen military in a tourist area with their rifles drawn in a ready to shoot position.

Protocol. Do it like you train, every time.

If I was smuggling for the cartel in an area containing a lot of dive boats carrying scuba divers, I'd use a boat that looked like a dive boat carrying a bunch of scuba divers. Idk, maybe others would prefer to fly a cartel flag, dress in military gear, and look like armed smugglers.

 

[mikeycanuk]

Many moons ago in Mahuahual we drove down the beach "road" to our rental casa. At the entrance to a driveway a marine slept in a chair with fatigues, helmet, body armor and shotgun across his lap with chickens around him. Looked like he was guarding the chickens, so wish I had a picture, it would have a been hilarious!

 

[George Monnat Jr]

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