We recently posted an article called Virtuoso Statistics on Travel to Mexico that really sparked some interesting dialogue on the topic of safety in Mexico. When commenting on the article, JM President, Zachary Rabinor, was met with some frustration from colleagues in the States. We understand that the unrelenting negative media about safety in Mexico has instilled a sense of fear in some North American travelers, and we thought Zach’s response was worth re-posting:
“I’m out in front of travel agents, tour operators and the public all the time encouraging travel to Mexico, and yes, the general perception of Mexico, especially in the N. American market has never been worse. That being said, we can only offer objective, honest facts from on the ground here in Mexico. It’s not that there is not a real problem with drug traffic and the related violence; rather, it’s the disinformation and a misperceptin of the real risks associated with travel to Mexico that is the issue. As you well know, Mexico is a vast and diverse country and the whole country shouldn’t suffer due to problems in one town, area or region.
It’s also important to understand the true nature of the violence and the background and history leading up to it as well as the implications for the future. For good and for bad, the current administration’s campaign against organized crime and narco traffic in particular has created large power vacuums within Drug Cartels and between rival factions. This instability has created opportunities for up and comers within the organized crime organizations and between them and has resulted in a grab for power as well as a disintegration of the established rules that were in place during the long-standing rule of the PRI. That being said, the violence, which has spread beyond the border cities, is still relegated to intra and inter organized crime groups and members. SO… what this means for all of us is that if you are not coming to Mexico to buy / sell / traffic and/or participate in the illegal narcotic trade, you are just as safe as you always have been in Mexico and more or less as safe (or more safe) as you would be in many major N. American and European cities!
Obviously, this is a complex dynamic without an easy answer; however, one response we can all agree on (I hope!) is that we need to get the good news out there and help to educate people about what is really happening in all of the amazing destinations in our beautiful country.”
Because we are here, on the ground, in Mexico, we are always happy to address any questions/concerns about the current state of affairs. We’d love to hear your thoughts in the comments below, and please feel free to contact us via Facebook, Twitter, our Blog, or by email ([email protected]). You can also find our statement on security in Mexico as well as other articles relating to safety in Mexico in the Safety of Mexico section of our Blog.
