SetheryJ
Banned
My day job gives me a unique perspective on this situation-I'll let you read into that as you will. I spent 21 years in Chicago and now reside elsewhere. I have also traveled around both the west and east coasts of Mexico, central, and south america. Just the other day I was eating fish tacos in Ensenada while listening to the lovely sound of a gunfight a few blocks over.
Some in this thread have pointed out that the current violence in Tulum (surrounding area) is nothing more than what is observed in some of the more violent cities in the US. Unfortunately, as others pointed out, there is a broad discrepancy in populations making a per capita comparison necessary. I used to start my day in Chicago by reading about the "39 shot 18 dead" over the weekend in the newspaper. The difference, it was very concentrated. @Marie13 is correct in that gangs are getting more brazen and crime is becoming more 'normalized' in areas that previously never experienced it. However, it would be naive to think that the mag mile is even remotely as dangerous as Tulum. What's more, if you look up the actual shootings and murders, they are not happening in Lincoln Park, they are happening in the ghetto...Where they always do. Not at the front door steps of a renowned resort.
What's happening in Quintana Roo is a serious rift with local cartels fighting for position in the drug trade. If you are naive enough to think that this is because of increased tourism or expat home purchases and the 'chance for selling a gram of blow to a tourist'....you'd be wildly wrong. This is all about the drug trade and drugs going north (to the us) and money and guns coming south (to mx). Am I saying don't go to MX.....NO! Hell, I have numerous trips planned for my vacations. But, you need to recognize that the violence is much MUCH worse than even 12 months ago. Tulum, Playa, and the likes are not immune from this. The world has been fortunate in recent years that he cartels had no reason to move into Quintana Roo (wasn't advantageous)...That's no longer the case.
Enjoy the world, but act accordingly.
Seth
Some in this thread have pointed out that the current violence in Tulum (surrounding area) is nothing more than what is observed in some of the more violent cities in the US. Unfortunately, as others pointed out, there is a broad discrepancy in populations making a per capita comparison necessary. I used to start my day in Chicago by reading about the "39 shot 18 dead" over the weekend in the newspaper. The difference, it was very concentrated. @Marie13 is correct in that gangs are getting more brazen and crime is becoming more 'normalized' in areas that previously never experienced it. However, it would be naive to think that the mag mile is even remotely as dangerous as Tulum. What's more, if you look up the actual shootings and murders, they are not happening in Lincoln Park, they are happening in the ghetto...Where they always do. Not at the front door steps of a renowned resort.
What's happening in Quintana Roo is a serious rift with local cartels fighting for position in the drug trade. If you are naive enough to think that this is because of increased tourism or expat home purchases and the 'chance for selling a gram of blow to a tourist'....you'd be wildly wrong. This is all about the drug trade and drugs going north (to the us) and money and guns coming south (to mx). Am I saying don't go to MX.....NO! Hell, I have numerous trips planned for my vacations. But, you need to recognize that the violence is much MUCH worse than even 12 months ago. Tulum, Playa, and the likes are not immune from this. The world has been fortunate in recent years that he cartels had no reason to move into Quintana Roo (wasn't advantageous)...That's no longer the case.
Enjoy the world, but act accordingly.
Seth
