Crime in Mexico

[elsonador]

Hola todos,

I am a virgin to this site and rarely post on other forums. Moving to Mexico is in my sights...two years from now, I currently live in El Paso Texas. My question for those of you who have made the big move (I'm envious) is, what cities would you consider least violent, and best to raise a family in the current condition that the country seems to be in with the cartels/drug wars etc....and is the violence currently as bad as US media portrays it? I understand Mexican culture, legal system, reliability on police and all that is far different from that of the US..that is not my concern. My question is simply are there still places safe to raise a family, live, and work/own a business?

Thank you for all and any response.
I have given up on the American way of life and thinking...just waiting to make the big move!

[RVGRINGO]

You've been subjected to too much sensationalistic press. Visit and explore. You also live in a border area that is seriously affected by the drug wars and is not representative of the interior.

[elsonador]

Thank you for the response, yea I figured as much about the press. My girlfriend is from Cd Juarez, I have only been to Juarez, San Lucas, San Jose and most of the surrounding areas of Cabo...She is a firm believer no one can have a business in Mexico without being extorted or harassed by gangs/cartel. I am prepared to learn the language and fully submerse myself into the culture and way of life. As far as places that aren't heavily gringo influenced, what would you think are some nice places to live/work? Right now we are both looking into Guanajuato city, Guadalajara and Laguna de Chapala areas. Any input is welcomed....

[MtnWoman]

Any of those choices would be safe with good schools and pleasant neighborhoods. The three are quite different in other respects. Guanajuato is a medium sized city, Guadalajara is the 2nd largest city in Mexico and Lakeside is a series of small villages, some heavily gringo-ized and others not so much.

I would suggest visiting all three and doing some serious market research before you commit. Many small businesses in Mexico last only a few months and fold. Some look iffy from the start but others seem so promising that the closing is a surprise. Be very careful that you choose a location where there is a need for your product or service but not a lot of competition.

[conklinwh]

To me the 1st three key questions are beach or not, driving distance to the border and level of expats. We aren't beach folk so that not an issue. San Miguel was our entry point as had art culture, history and a very easy entry point to explore options. We live in a very small town less than hour from San Miguel & Queretaro. For larger cities, I really like Guanajuato, Oaxaca, San Cristobal and Patzcuaro. I grew up in NYC area so larger cities like Morelia and Quetretaro are great to visit but too large to live in for us.
As RV Gringo said, you need to try a few places to see what works for you.

[kazslo]

Originally Posted by elsonador

She is a firm believer no one can have a business in Mexico without being extorted or harassed by gangs/cartel.

From what I've experienced, that depends a lot on the industry - bars and cd/dvd stores near me are pressed hard by the cartel. Depending on how heavily the cartel presence is in your location would depend on whether you could still make enough money while figuring in this 'cost of doing business'. Lots of opportunity in comparison to the US for building your own business (depending on how much you have to invest), just other costs and considerations to make.

[elsonador]

MtnWoman- Thanks for the input on small business and such.
I think exploring is the best way to find out...just looking to move somewhere thats not "little America" and safe to work, live, and educate (:

I may have to start a new thread for this next question...It is about childrens citizenships, If one parent is a US citizen, the other a Mexican citizen...kids born in Mexico, I assume become Mexican citizens? Mexico does not have dual citizenship from what I read correct?

[elsonador]

Originally Posted by RVGRINGO

You may become a naturalized Mexican citizen, as the spouse of a Mexican, after two years on an inmigrante credencial. At that time, you would have dual citizenship yourself. If that is your intent, you might need to think about your vehicle; you could no longer keep a foreign (USA) registered vehicle in Mexico and would have to remove it from the country. During the two year period, there are restrictions on how long you can be outside of Mexico, but they are generous.

Thanks for the info. I intend to sell my US vehicle and buy in Mexico when the time comes. Glad there are people with such knowledge and good answers. Back to the crime front if I can redirect this...any guess as to if the drug violence will ever cease or even mellow? Maybe a bit of a fantasy...but with all the expats living in the interior as you said before, it must be safe enough to manage.

appreciate the input guys.

[RVGRINGO]

I guess it is difficult for those of us living in Mexico's interior to imagine what your perception of our lives might be. Why don't you list your perceptions and let us react to them? We have posters in various parts of Mexico and the responses might be interesting.

[elsonador]

Originally Posted by RVGRINGO

I guess it is difficult for those of us living in Mexico's interior to imagine what your perception of our lives might be. Why don't you list your perceptions and let us react to them? We have posters in various parts of Mexico and the responses might be interesting.

Well being from Cd Juarez/El Paso...drive bus a shootings are common. Most businesses bars, restaurants, stores have left the Mexican side for the US side due to extortion or lack of customers due to cartel violence. Most bars ad restaurants that are still in Cd Juarez have to give money to one of the two cartels in the region, which leads to those businesses becoming targets of the opposite cartel. We were in a popular bar on a Saturday night last year and a shooter drove by and unloaded on the place. Also no one seems to be innocent...women and children are often shot at random. Hmm when we were in Cabo San Lucas a popular bar burned down, my first assumption originally being from Chicago was insurance claim...my girlfriend assumed they refused to pay a cartel "their cut" and that was the end result.

We both want to live in Mexico and raise a family/work there...I'm just trying to grasp the feasibility of it. And where the safest locations are. Again I'm not concerned in the difference of law enforcement or cultural, just mainly cartel violence/shootings. Would you say it is still safe to drive from the border to the interior? Or better to fly?
Thanks for the responses.