Travel Warning for MX

[elbig]

I think the problem is not so much about how Cozumel has been in the past but how it will be in the future. Just look at Acapulco which use to be a safe vibrant exciting place to vacation to now its the murder capital of Mexico. The perception ( maybe wrongly) is that more and more of Mexico is becoming unsafe. What used to be violence outside of tourist areas is now spilling into all areas. I hate to say this be you need to understand the concerns and not just dismiss them. I have vacationed in many areas of Mexico and enjoyed it but I am hesitant to do so now.

 

[JamesBon92007]

RCN Sports.

Please take a moment to watch this quick interview video of one of our long time residents Dailene who is also the owner of Cabrilla Sports.

A moment of vulnerability here - Those of you who know my story know that I also came here as a single female with no job and no Spanish 16+ years ago - started my business from nothing 15+ years ago - enjoyed success, had a few very rough years personally which actually included hanging out in the bars at night (still safe) - this also affected business of course, but got my life back on track here, became a Mexican Citizen, and have been vigilantly focused on my business again for the last several years. I still feel safe and love living on the island!

Spread the word and share this video please! It's all true!

RCN Sports.

How did Dailene get around the labor laws? I thought that non-citizens could not be employed and were limited to having their own business unless they possessed a special skill that the residents couldn't provide. Was she teaching English as a second language to the bar employees?

 

[Dogbowl]

I don't think Christi/Dailene is dismissing our concerns. I think she's trying to separate the island of Cozumel from the mainland towns of Cancun and Playa del Carmen.The current facts suggest that it is unfair that Cozumel is lumped in with the problems occurring on the mainland just because it is part of the region known as Quintana Roo. And I agree. I will continue to visit Cozumel until the facts indicate otherwise. Hoping that the body of water separating Cozumel and the mainland is sufficient as a physical barrier against the drug violence.

 

[Christi]

I think the problem is not so much about how Cozumel has been in the past but how it will be in the future. Just look at Acapulco which use to be a safe vibrant exciting place to vacation to now its the murder capital of Mexico. The perception ( maybe wrongly) is that more and more of Mexico is becoming unsafe. What used to be violence outside of tourist areas is now spilling into all areas. I hate to say this be you need to understand the concerns and not just dismiss them. I have vacationed in many areas of Mexico and enjoyed it but I am hesitant to do so now.

None of us are dismissing the concerns, but they are overblown, and Cozumel should not be lumped in, and that's the truth of it. The island has so many shelters and filters to keep this stuff out, but no one who isn't intimately familiar with the island and local "politics" for lack of a better term could possibly understand this.

I am well aware of what happened in Acapulco - and it's tragic for sure.

There has always been crime (a lot of it) in Cancun, just like any big city. It just wasn't as public. I'm not making light of the recent shootings in Playa or Cancun - not at all - HOWEVER - they really are no different than a gang shooting in any US city, or a terrorist attack (which are random and happening all over the USA and Europe) - they have a different and "scarier" label "Cartels" - I'm not oblivious to the fact that an innocent bystander could end up in the crossfire one day (as they did in the Playa night club), but one thing I can say is that most of these "cartel" incidents are very targeted and up close and personal. I don't have rose colored glasses on, just reality - cautiously aware, but not buying into the fear mongering of the US media for things that happen and that we have lived with in big city USA for many, many years.

 

[Christi]

How did Dailene get around the labor laws? I thought that non-citizens could not be employed and were limited to having their own business unless they possessed a special skill that the residents couldn't provide. Was she teaching English as a second language to the bar employees?

haha really? That's what you took away from that? LOL - Well, back when she arrived on the island, things were much different - immigration was not as tough and she was a "Manager" - so that qualified her. Also, non-citizens CAN be employed with proper paperwork, sponsorship and documentation. It's not black and white.

 

[Dogbowl]

haha really? That's what you took away from that? LOL - Well, back when she arrived on the island, things were much different - immigration was not as tough and she was a "Manager" - so that qualified her. Also, non-citizens CAN be employed with proper paperwork, sponsorship and documentation. It's not black and white.

@Christi I think you quoted the wrong post

 

[Christi]

@Christi I think you quoted the wrong post

Oops you're right - haha - sorry! I corrected it

 

[JamesBon92007]

haha really? That's what you took away from that? LOL - Well, back when she arrived on the island, things were much different - immigration was not as tough and she was a "Manager" - so that qualified her. Also, non-citizens CAN be employed with proper paperwork, sponsorship and documentation. It's not black and white.

My response is based upon the fact that nothing I have heard has in any way influenced my considerations of possibly living on Cozumel I'm still reading about the requirements and the cans and can nots.

Thanks for your insight--it is all the little things that can make a difference in figuring out the laws etc.

 

[JamesBon92007]

I certainly don't have a deep understanding of the local politics there but in the short time that I've spent there (only about 3 1/2 weeks so far) I did talk to a lot of people and heard some things that made me confident that the extremely low crime rate is likely to stay that way.

 

[Dogbowl]

@Christi and @JamesBon92007, care to elaborate why Cozumel's "politics" will help with keeping crime away? I'm curious.