Heres an interesting article, written by Linda Ellerbee, a journalist for NBC News: Is Mexico Dangerous?
Tragically, the outbreak of violence near the border and in the border cities has led people to believe the entire state of Mexico is under siege. Unfortunately, the sensationalism of the U.S. news media has contributed to this belief. Drug cartels are vying for power in the U.S./Mexico border region and most of the violence is a result of these competing factions. The cartels are not only battling for power, they are also battling for access into the U.S. Violent shoot outs often put innocent lives at risk, as the cartels battle each other and the government. Yet, this is not an accurate portrait of Mexican life beyond the border region.
News reporting in the U.S. has become more politically biased in recent years and it tends to focus on Mexico’s losing battle with drug cartels. Mainstream U.S. news no longer questions or truly investigates. Instead, it has become less about journalism and more about passive reporting. What they fail to mention is the demand for drugs in the U.S. is directly related to the violence. The U.S. has also failed in its battle to curb drug use. It should also be noted that most of the weapons used by the cartels are of U.S. origin. Fueled by greed, many U.S. citizens willingly sold arms to the cartels.
With a few exceptions, most people living away from the border cities, do not live in a state of constant fear. In regions outside the border, violence by the drug cartels is usually directed toward the government and federal forces of Mexico. At times, it is perpetuated against members within their own ranks or rivals. In the interior, drug cartels have not made a concerted effort to target the community at large.
As with larger cities in the U.S. and the world, Mexico has its share of petty crime and robbery. Tourists unfamiliar with Mexico should not stray much beyond the tourist regions. But, the same is true of some U.S. cities. Also, tourists should exercise commonsense. Do not flaunt jewelry or wads of cash and credit cards.
I have lived in Mexico for a couple of years in a small colonia outside the city centro. I can say with certainty that I feel safer walking down the street here than I do in most U.S. cities.
Cabo San Lucas is almost one thousand miles south of the border. With one road in and one road out, it’s a virtual island. Here are some recent news articles discussing the safety of Mexican tourist destinations: LA Times Wall Street Journal In our experience, Cabo is as safe (or safer) than the typical American city. We feel safer in Cabo than many European tourist destinations.
