Is it safe to live and travel in Mexico?

Update August 31st 2010
The recent publicity about Arizona's new immigration law has simulated the media's desire to focus on everything negative occurring in Mexico. The media continues to suggest the possibility of a Mexican Government collapse.
This past week was the first time I saw facts overtake speculation.
The Cartel violence in Mexico is occurring as a direct result of President Caldrone's dedicated effort to put an end to the free movement of drugs through Mexico. He is Mexico's first President to attempt to end Mexico's drug trafficking. He has so disrupted the Cartels that the violence occurring now is essentially between feuding Cartels fighting to gain or maintain control over drug trafficking routes. He has for the first time began a concerted effort to eliminate government coruption in both the Federal Government, State and Local Governments. This war is between the Cartels, the Federal Police, the Army on occasion and local police and local governments. The President of Mexico and all those local mayors and police chiefs willing to stand against the Cartels deserve the respect and support of the Mexican people along witheveryone in the U.S. and Canada. Life in most all of Mexico continues to be calm normal and routine. Lives at Lake Chapala are as normal today as they were many years ago.
Our neighbors and friends continue to travel Mexico's Interstate Coutas (toll roads) without hesitation or fear. As in all other statements concerning safety in travel that I've made, I still caution everyone to travel only in daylight. Use the coutas whenever possible and stay out of bars, nightclubs and areas where, as in the United States, might appear to places drugs might be in use or drugs might be bought and sold.
Now let me tell you a true story, one of our 78 year old female neighbors, with her husbands agreement, left Lake Chapala with her 70 year old female friend to drive from here to McAllen, Texas, to go shopping. On her return she said she had an absolutely wonderful trip, they traveled a different route and saw some of the most beautiful scenery she had ever seen. She said en route they were stopped at 2 inspection stations and asked for their visas and passports and only once on the return. She said the Mexicans were ab sol ut ley polite, courteous and helpful at every encounter.
Expats living in Mexico have no problem with being asked to see their legal visas and passports when asked for them. You need to show them when you cash travelers checks, open a bank account, apply for a credit card, enter or leave the country or apply for special government services.


Below is my statement written in the Spring of 2010
I have been hearing that the Red River is going to flood in North Dakota and Iowa. Shall I therefore assume that it must be flooding all over the United States and it's not safe to travel? The same is true of the drug cartel violence on the Mexico United States border. What happens there is not what happens in the rest of Mexico. The Mexican economy is sound and is growing at the rate of over 3% in this year of 2010. Life is normal and routine in most all of Mexico just as life is normal and routine in most of the Untied States, even though it may be flooding in some places.
The fear of Mexican travel that the US media continues to hype is hurting not only the Mexican economy but that in turn exacerbates the problems in the United States.
Like the US and I'm sure Canada, there are a few places I wouldn't choose to go. Otherwise, I am as comfortable or more so, traveling in Mexico, than anywhere NOB. Living at Lake Chapala with thousands of ex pats, we know of no one who is concerned about traveling the highways to and from the United States, or to and from the beaches or to and from any of the beautiful cities in Mexico's heartland. Mexico has an interstate network of highways called Cuotas. They are toll roads that may seem expensive but believe me, they are well worth the cost of tolls.

A PERSONAL STATEMENT RELEASED AFTER LIVING IN MEXICO FOR SEVERAL YEARS

When my wife and I began considering retirement we knew we both loved Yellowstone but it was way too cold in the winter and though we loved Arizona in the winter, it was way too hot in the summer. Researching Mexico Retirement, we found several possible choices. We first traveled to Matzatlan and spent a month. Like Arizona, we loved it but like Arizona, the winters were great but the summers were way too hot.

In Matzatlan we heard about an area south of Guadalajara called Lake Chapala and a village called Ajijic. It was at an altitude of 5000 feet, was on the shore of Mexico's largest natural lake, surrounded by mountains and the weather we were told, was spring like year around. Those were all the things we loved so we next visited Ajijic.

We made the decision to move in 2004. Today we live just outside Ajijic in a small residential area called La Canacinta, Jalisco, Mexico
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HOW MANY PEOPLE DO YOU KNOW THAT HAVE SAID THEY HAVE EVER BEEN ANYPLACE IN MEXICO OTHER THAN BEACH RESORTS OR BORDER TOWNS?

How many people do you know who have ever been to Lake Chapala, Guanajuato, Morelia or Patzcuaro? Do you know someone who has seen the beautiful National Park in Uruapan or visited the amazing pyramids, just outside Mexico City called Teotihuacan? I'll bet only 1 or 2, if any.
If they knew that the colonial cities, such as Guanajuato or Morelia offer tourists the same sense of Historic Beauty and Spanish Architectural flavor found in Spain might that make a difference?
Would the fact they can find beautiful Spanish Hacienda's, now converted into hotels with all the comforts 21st century travelers require for about 100 US dollars a night make a difference?

You may choose to travel to Europe and pay a fortune for your hotels, food, drink, tours and souvenirs but you'll not have a better touring experience than traveling into the heart of Mexico. A vacation to Mexico will only cost you a fraction of what you would spend on a European vacation.

Each winter 30,000,000 Monarch Butterflies migrate and semi hibernate in the mountains above Morelia. Taking an all day tour to see them has been described by some who have been there as one of the most amazingly wonderful experiences of their lives. Cost of an all day tour, including transportation from Morelia is less than 50 US dollars per person.

My last thought, before you make a decision to travel to Europe, get on the internet and check out some of the amazing cities and places I've mentioned.
The Mexican hospitality and service is as good as it gets. You'll quickly find, you're very very welcome.

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