Mexico Safety

[linda60]

I am planning my next cruise for June 09, and would like to go to Cozumel. Do the government warnings that have been issued recently effect travel to that area? All I have been able to find is warnings for 'travel to Mexico' and want to make sure that it is safe to travel there in light of the recent violence.

 

thanks so much

[bruce-r]

Cozumel is very safe. The "warnings" mostly pertain to boarder towns. Cozumel is far removed from the "troubled" areas.

[jerry20001]

The "troubled area" includes Cancun, not just border towns. It is largely a war between rival drug cartels and in no way are tourists being targeted. There is always the possibility of collateral damage of being in the wrong place. The warnings are especially appropriate and directed toward Spring Breakers who often don't make the most responsible decisions.

 

This situation has in no way impacted Cozumel and is unlikely ever will. Cozumel remains probably the safest place in Mexico and among the most crime free of any tourism destinations in the U.S.

 

A little extra caution is merited when on the mainland, especially after dark and outside the main tourist zones. Cozumel should be considered safe, day or night.

[FishermanJim]

I never recommend that visitors consider all neighborhoods of Cozumel as safe day or night. People who are not familiar with certain neighborhoods like Colonia San Gervaiso and Colonia 10 de Abril. It is simply not intelligent. These are not areas where foreigners belong at night unless they are with some locals that know the community well.

[bruce-r]

I never recommend that visitors consider all neighborhoods of Cozumel as safe day or night. People who are not familiar with certain neighborhoods like Colonia San Gervaiso and Colonia 10 de Abril. It is simply not intelligent. These are not areas where foreigners belong at night unless they are with some locals that know the community well.

 

Jim, you could say that about most large US cities as well.

[TheVegasMan]

This situation has in no way impacted Cozumel and is unlikely ever will. Cozumel remains probably the safest place in Mexico and among the most crime free of any tourism destinations in the U.S.

I was not aware that Cozumel became a U.S. possession.

[jerry20001]

I was not aware that Cozumel became a U.S. possession.

 

Well they still fly the Mexican flag here, but that's about all. Between the cruise ship trade and foreign investors, they pretty well control and run the island. They just allow Mexican military and federal law enforcement to provide security guard details.

 

My post could have said it is safer THAN any U.S. tourism destination, but realistically, I guess I did write it correctly, it is a U.S. tourism location. Given the the tax deductions write offs by American owned companies to reduce their U.S. taxes paid, the U.S. treasury is indirectly subsidizing the economy here.

[FishermanJim]

Well they still fly the Mexican flag here, but that's about all. Between the cruise ship trade and foreign investors, they pretty well control and run the island. They just allow Mexican military and federal law enforcement to provide security guard details.

 

My post could have said it is safer THAN any U.S. tourism destination, but realistically, I guess I did write it correctly, it is a U.S. tourism location. Given the the tax deductions write offs by American owned companies to reduce their U.S. taxes paid, the U.S. treasury is indirectly subsidizing the economy here.

 

What foreign investor has such authority in Cozumel? What foreigner has more power or money on the island than Nassim Joaquin or Mauro Gonzalez? Then I would be interested in more in-depth explanation of the ¨tax deductions and write-offs¨ you refer to; what’s legitimate and what’s not and to what degree they affect the US Treasury: Can you do that for us?

Yes, they fly the Mexican flag and the military answers to the Mexican President, local police answer to the mayor who is a local guy. Foreigners do not own near as much of this island as local people (Mexicans) do, but foreigners ¨rent¨ from locals.

[jerry20001]

What foreign investor has such authority in Cozumel? What foreigner has more power or money on the island than Nassim Joaquin or Mauro Gonzalez?

 

Carnival Cruise Lines and Diamonds International would be two. Quite unfortunately don Nassim and don Mauro are far smaller players than they once were. The two combined can't come close to the Molina family today.

 

 

Then I would be interested in more in-depth explanation of the ¨tax deductions and write-offs¨ you refer to; what’s legitimate and what’s not and to what degree they affect the US Treasury: Can you do that for us?

 

I guess before your time Jim, you missed out on when the cruise ships paid a good percentage of money collected from tours to the operators in cash and only paid a portion of their share via check or visible payment. Besides cheating Mexico of taxes due, this enabled them to show a loss from their very profitable businesses to deduct against their U.S. taxes. That is the only way it was possible to take such a lion's share of the gross and enable the provider to cover all the costs of business from their net.

 

 

Yes, they fly the Mexican flag and the military answers to the Mexican President, local police answer to the mayor who is a local guy. Foreigners do not own near as much of this island as local people (Mexicans) do, but foreigners ¨rent¨ from locals.

 

It seems quite plain that the Zeta's and the two rival drug cartels have more complete effective control of Cancun and the mainland. Who will be Cancun's chief of police next week? Who might become mayor next? General Tello lasted in his position exactly one day. The government nor law enforcement can even control the local prison. Cozumel remains a safe port because the real powers want it that way. Everyone can use a vacation periodically, especially those in high stress jobs.

[FishermanJim]

What foreign investor has such authority in Cozumel? What foreigner has more power or money on the island than Nassim Joaquin or Mauro Gonzalez?

 

Carnival Cruise Lines and Diamonds International would be two. Quite unfortunately don Nassim and don Mauro are far smaller players than they once were. The two combined can't come close to the Molina family today.

 

 

Then I would be interested in more in-depth explanation of the ¨tax deductions and write-offs¨ you refer to; what’s legitimate and what’s not and to what degree they affect the US Treasury: Can you do that for us?

 

I guess before your time Jim, you missed out on when the cruise ships paid a good percentage of money collected from tours to the operators in cash and only paid a portion of their share via check or visible payment. Besides cheating Mexico of taxes due, this enabled them to show a loss from their very profitable businesses to deduct against their U.S. taxes. That is the only way it was possible to take such a lion's share of the gross and enable the provider to cover all the costs of business from their net.

 

 

Yes, they fly the Mexican flag and the military answers to the Mexican President, local police answer to the mayor who is a local guy. Foreigners do not own near as much of this island as local people (Mexicans) do, but foreigners ¨rent¨ from locals.

 

It seems quite plain that the Zeta's and the two rival drug cartels have more complete effective control of Cancun and the mainland. Who will be Cancun's chief of police next week? Who might become mayor next? General Tello lasted in his position exactly one day. The government nor law enforcement can even control the local prison. Cozumel remains a safe port because the real powers want it that way. Everyone can use a vacation periodically, especially those in high stress jobs.

 

Carnival Cruise Lines and Diamonds International together do not own more ¨property¨ than Nassim Joaquin; indeed Diamonds International rents a lot of property from Don Nassim. Of course the Molino family is very wealthy also, but are losing some of their footing in Cozumel. Still, those are Mexicans with big holdings and neither is a foreigner.

 

You don’t have any privileged information on Carnival’s tax returns, so why are you making accusations of that nature. You are on a public forum calling a major corporation a ¨tax cheat¨ in two countries. Stepping beyond that, you accuse the service providers who work in Cozumel of being tax cheats also.

 

I don’t have a clue why you started rambling about the Zetas and Cancun’s police since they aren’t foreigners and not known as ¨tax dodgers¨ and that’s what we were discussing.

 

I heard you were back in Cozumel and probably have taken a job with a jewelry store… are you authorized to ¨work¨ in Mexico now?

[gottago2mexico]

I am planning my next cruise for June 09, and would like to go to Cozumel. Do the government warnings that have been issued recently effect travel to that area? All I have been able to find is warnings for 'travel to Mexico' and want to make sure that it is safe to travel there in light of the recent violence.

 

thanks so much

 

Cozumel is very safe for tourists. It is 1,500 miles and a body of water from the border violence in Ciudad Juarez that you're hearing about on the news. It's further removed than nearly every city in the USA from the border areas that are having the problems. Mexico is a big country. Not that you'd know it from the news media reports. Have a great time!

[FishermanJim]

The following is an abbreviated response from the Mexico Tourism Board:

 

http://collage.triseptsolutions.com/VendorCenter7.5/VAC/pdfs/MEX_tourism_respons e.pdf

 

Good read!