Armed Gang Kidnaps 22 Tourists in Acapulco

[V and S]

The US's homicide rate is among the highest in the industrialized world. In the 1900s, more people in the US were murdered by fellow Americans than soldiers died on active duty during the First World War, Second World War, Korean War AND the Vietnam War, combined.

 

These sensationalistic reports about Mexico upset me, as I frequently go to Rancho La Puerta (fitness resort, spa), just outside Tecate, about an hour east of San Diego, on the border. It is just a fantastic place, and Tecate is a sleepy little town with a low crime rate and wonderful people, and yet, people are afraid to go there now, thinking it is over 500 miles to the east (the Texas border) or equally far (or farther) to the south, where there is drug violence. :(

[dforeigner]

This coming from the guy who lives in the murder capital of the US. So many they have a web site dedicated to tracking them http://homicides.redeyechicago.com/ . Should I change my flight plans for Mexico next month just because I happen to fly out of O'Hare??? NOBODY is saying we should discount the news reports or bury our heads in the sand ... Just put these reports in context. How may murders and other violent crimes happened in LA today, yesterday or will happen tomorrow??? What level of risk do we put ourselves at when we take a shuttle from LAX to San Pedro or Long Beach.

 

Get a grip! Mexico has pockets of violence and nearly all of them are linked to the drug trade. Tell me how many tourists have been attacked in Cabo, Mazatlan or Vallarta. Tell all of us how may violent crimes have occurred in Vallarta toward tourists?

 

The US's homicide rate is among the highest in the industrialized world. In the 1900s, more people in the US were murdered by fellow Americans than soldiers died on active duty during the First World War, Second World War, Korean War AND the Vietnam War, combined.

 

These sensationalistic reports about Mexico upset me, as I frequently go to Rancho La Puerta (fitness resort, spa), just outside Tecate, about an hour east of San Diego, on the border. It is just a fantastic place, and Tecate is a sleepy little town with a low crime rate and wonderful people, and yet, people are afraid to go there now, thinking it is over 500 miles to the east (the Texas border) or equally far (or farther) to the south, where there is drug violence. :(

 

 

It is sad how naive people can be. Yes, there is violence in the US. Yes murders are being committed in the US. But the daily shootings that are occurring in Mexico, to include Acapulco, without due regard for collateral damage is too high.

 

Heed the warning, these kidnapings, and most of the shootings in Acapulco are occurring around the main road called Costera Miguel Aleman.

 

Think the risk of being a victim of cross fire does not exist? Remember the gang related shooting in St Thomas, USVI where an innocent 15 or 16 y/o young lady traveling in a tour bus was struck and killed?

[MSN-Travelers]

It is sad how naive people can be. Yes, there is violence in the US. Yes murders are being committed in the US. But the daily shootings that are occurring in Mexico, to include Acapulco, without due regard for collateral damage is too high.

 

Heed the warning, these kidnapings, and most of the shootings in Acapulco are occurring around the main road called Costera Miguel Aleman.

 

Think the risk of being a victim of cross fire does not exist? Remember the gang related shooting in St Thomas, USVI where an innocent 15 or 16 y/o young lady traveling in a tour bus was struck and killed?

 

What's your point?? The majority of cruise ship passengers sailing the Mexican Riviera stop at Cabo, Mazatlan & Puerto Vallarta. Few travel to Acapulco.

 

Media reports tend to paint their picture of "Violence in Mexico" with a broad brush. This thread and the many that ask "Is it safe to cruise the MR?" often result in two trains of thought:

 

Mexico, the entire country, is an open war zone where nobody is safe.

 

or ...

 

There is violence in certain areas of Mexico, it is typically related to drugs and it hasn't visited the primary cruise ship ports.

 

Which side of the issue do you support? Are you telling the forum readers that they should abandon any plans to visit Mexico?

 

A number of us cite crime stats for the US because the traveling public is at its greatest while shopping for vacation stuff in their home city and while traveling from home to the port of embarkation. Not while getting off the ship in a Mexican port. Cruise ship passengers visit these ports during the day, travel in groups and most don't venture out into the countryside on their own. Chicago happens to lead the US in murders and Phoenix is 2nd in the world for kidnappings ( http://www.drugaddictiontreatment.com/addiction-in-the-news/drug-crimes/phoenix-number-two-kidnapping-capital-as-drug-cartel-wars-intensify/ )

[dforeigner]

What's your point?? The majority of cruise ship passengers sailing the Mexican Riviera stop at Cabo, Mazatlan & Puerto Vallarta. Few travel to Acapulco.

 

Media reports tend to paint their picture of "Violence in Mexico" with a broad brush. This thread and the many that ask "Is it safe to cruise the MR?" often result in two trains of thought:

 

Mexico, the entire country, is an open war zone where nobody is safe.

 

or ...

 

There is violence in certain areas of Mexico, it is typically related to drugs and it hasn't visited the primary cruise ship ports.

 

Which side of the issue do you support? Are you telling the forum readers that they should abandon any plans to visit Mexico?

 

A number of us cite crime stats for the US because the traveling public is at its greatest while shopping for vacation stuff in their home city and while traveling from home to the port of embarkation. Not while getting off the ship in a Mexican port. Cruise ship passengers visit these ports during the day, travel in groups and most don't venture out into the countryside on their own. Chicago happens to lead the US in murders and Phoenix is 2nd in the world for kidnappings ( http://www.drugaddictiontreatment.com/addiction-in-the-news/drug-crimes/phoenix-number-two-kidnapping-capital-as-drug-cartel-wars-intensify/ )

 

 

I guess no tourist have been killed in Puerto Vallarta recently.

Most of the kidnappings in Phoenix in are done by Mexican Cartel members that sneak into the US and kidnap people that either owe them money or have too much information about the drug cartels.

Additionally, several tourists are being targeted at the ports you mentioned above for armed robbery. Pretty soon, we will see kidnapping express done on us tourists who usually carry an ATM card.

I am not yelling that the sky is falling. But unfortunately, most Americans as oblivious as to what is actually going on and the potential for repercussions towards tourists walking around in condition white unaware of potential threats around them.

[riffatsea]

My goodness!! Those 22 people were MEXICAN nationals not cruise ship passengers.

The couple who were jet skiing on a lake on the border of Texas/Mexico were NOT on a cruise either!

The drug cartels have been infighting for a long time! There is a war going on between them and the Mexican police/army.

MOST of the probs are not in Acapulco but are in the border areas.

I am quite sad that the Spirit is DIScontinuing its Acapulco tours as we really LOVED that cruise and I would go on it once a year if it continued!!