I grew up in West Texas, from 1951 until I left in1970. I was partially raised by Hispanic caretakers, although that term wasn’t in use at the time. My family made frequent trips to the Texas-Mexico border towns for vacation. My first 2 wives were Hispanic, the second couldn’t speak English when she started school in the first grade. I knew and loved the food, the culture and the people of Mexico.
My, how times change and yet, they stay the same
In those early years the Mexican police were almost considered buffoons. Little more than local constables to give tourists traffic tickets and keep drunks in line. Their uniforms were mismatched, tattered and often dirty. If real law enforcement was expected, one went to the Federales, which was a Federal police force. The Mexican border patrol didn’t care who or what came in or left Mexico. No passport was required if one had a Mexican visa (requiring almost nothing to obtain) or US identification (usually a driver’s license sufficed). Food, leather crafts, pottery and textiles were the main attraction. B
Bars, alcohol, prostitution and some types of skilled labor were second on the attraction list. Drugs were present and known to exist, but way down on the list and not remotely organized. Vacation resorts on both coasts and central Mexico were very popular but more exotic because of travel expense. Air travel at that time was the exception rather than the rule. Many of my caretakers taught me some differences in regional cuisine because they would cook according to what they were taught growing up. Prior to this excursion, my only visit to Mexico City or central Mexico, was for a few hours for a plane change, not even leaving the airport grounds. I did spend a couple of weeks off the coast of Veracruz and Cozumel on a ship in the Caribbean while in college, though.
The people are the same and the food is the same, but Mexico is decidedly different in atmosphere and crime compared with my recollections.
Today to me, Mexico looks more like war torn Afghanistan than the Mexico of my memories. Sure, one can reasonably expect modernization and changes in 51 years. The whole world has changed during that time. But let me describe some of those changes through my eyes.
The police now travel in caravans of modern, weaponized, armored vehicles staffed with 4-6 law enforcement officers who appeared to be as well equipped as any swat team one might see on The Shield or Law and Order. The Federales look like an Army Ranger or US Marine platoon in size and equipment. I can’t show pictures because they weren’t allowed.
I recently traveled to Mexico City by air. Our host met us at the airport and took us to a local hotel where we stayed for 2 days. He was a Mexican citizen with several nice cars, but chose to travel by Uber for safety. From there we traveled by bus to Uruapan, Michoacán. We left Uruapan for Paracho, Michoacán, our destination. We stayed 3 days there and returned to Mexico City and the US by a slightly different route.
Mexico City is now the most populous city in the world with 21.9 million people in 573 sq. miles (that is 38,220/sq mile). That is more than double what it was last time I was there and even in the 1970s, smog was a problem. Atmospheric conditions, climate, being located in a mountainous fish bowl and lack of consistent and enforced smog prevention leaves Mexico City plagued with smog. Mexico City is 7,349′ above sea level and Paracho at 7,303′ above sea level, which made breathing very difficult for me that week. Carjacking, mugging, snatch-and-run theft, and kidnapping are very attractive to the poor, disenfranchised and Cartel victims living there. Local citizens are affected as well as tourists, which explains why our host uses buses, Uber and taxi travel as well as taking other security precautions.
Americans are bombarded with news about illegal immigration problems along it’s southern border. We hear the statistics and see the video footage almost daily. But, most Americans do not hear about or see the pervasiveness of Cartels, crime and corruption within Mexico (this discussion started above with mention of the modernization of law enforcement and changes of tactics). There was visual evidence of Cartel presence everywhere we went through out this trip. Military guards and patrols everywhere. Two days before we left for Mexico, Cartel members stormed a tourist beach in Cancun, Mexico to assassinate 2 members of a rival Cartel.1 While we were there 70 Mormon missionaries were robbed by 2 thugs with knives.2 A 12 year old Mexican girl and birthday entourage were stopped and robbed in Michoacán last year on their way to a birthday celebration. Eleven boys/men were killed over Cartel turf battles just before we arrived in Michoacán.3 This is a drop in the bucket of crime in Michoacán, but gives reference with respect to the time frame when we were there.
The food was out of this world, the people are still the warm and affectionate people I remember. One particular dish I remember growing up was pozole. But, the one I remember was made from green chilies instead of the red chilies I found on this trip. Otherwise, the same ingredients. The first 4 days in Mexico I let my host order food for me without questioning what I was eating. I ate a few things I wouldn’t have otherwise ordered, but everything was delicious. I had the pozole several times, head tacos, brain tacos and for breakfast one day I had sheep stew! I had home cooked pork fajitas and one evening a traditional American hamburger and fries. The many different chili salsas were wonderful and despite American perceptions, not all chili salsas are spicy hot. But, it is still advisable to not drink the water.
The 6 hour bus ride from Mexico City to Uruapan was very comfortable. The seating was better than first class on most airlines. There was onboard digital entertainment and the view of the mountains and farms through central Mexico was spectacular. The taxi ride from Uruapan to Paracho was somewhat tense, to say the least. Despite the risk of carjacking, robbery, and kidnapping, the driver tended to drive way too fast for the traffic conditions. Passing on curves and hills when line of sight was just past the front bumper. On reflection, I think the threat of Cartel interference was to blame. Once in a city, though it was a strategy of racing from speed bump to speed bump. Another case in which reflection allowed one to see that this was a method of saving tax dollars (pesos) in requiring less traffic police to control speeding. About midway through this adventure, my travel companion who is now learning to drive told me, “I think I’m a very good driver.”
One day we went to a neighboring town to shop. Our host pointed out that the population was predominantly “Indian”, by which he meant descendants of the native Mayans. He said that they have a hard time getting their needs recognized by the government and under threat of Cartel violence have hired their own security force. Every entrance to the town is staffed by armed guards and a security check point where those entering are required to slow or stop to be interviewed by security.
One afternoon, a group of young teenagers, friends and family of our host, wanted to walk to the town square to have coffee with friends and hang out. Our host gave them a strict curfew requiring them to be home by dark. He explained to me that the threat of young girls being abducted for human trafficking was ever present.4
All in all, it was a good visit. No harm came to anyone except my shortness of breath and stomach ulcers from stress and worry. Worry wart, you say? Here are some exerts from U.S. Department of State – Bureau of Consular Affairs.5
Country Summary: Violent crime – such as homicide, kidnapping, carjacking, and robbery – is widespread and common in Mexico.
U.S. government employees may not travel between cities after dark, may not hail taxis on the street, and must rely on dispatched vehicles, including app-based services like Uber, and regulated taxi stands.
Do Not Travel To: Michoacan state due to crime and kidnapping.
News from your grumpy Uncle Dave.
Part 1, Mexico, Law & Order
Part 3, Mexico, Tercero
- In a beach showdown by luxury hotels near Cancun, 2 people were shot dead. Associated Press. November 5, 2021. Retrieved 1/4/22 from https://www.npr.org/2021/11/05/1052695890/cancun-shootout-mexico-cartel
- 70 Mormon Missionaries robbed in Mexico. Group Leader and Wife Threatened at Knifepoint[SIC]. Andrea Morris. CBNNews.com. 11/13/21. Retrieved 1/4/2022 from https://www1.cbn.com/cbnnews/world/2021/november/70-mormon-missionaries-robbed-in-mexico-group-leader-and-wife-threatened-at-knifepoint
- Five men, six boys gunned down in western Mexican state of Michoacan. 11/3/2021. Associated Press. KTSM.com. Retrieved 1/4/2021 from https://www.ktsm.com/crime/five-men-six-boys-gunned-down-in-western-mexican-state-of-michoacan/
- First drugs, then oil, now Mexican cartels turn to human trafficking. “A lot of criminal groups are mutating,” says Santigo Nieto, head of Mexico’s financial intelligence unit. Sex trafficking may the country’s third-largest criminal activity. Reuters. April 29, 2020. Retrieved 1/4/2022 from https://www.nbcnews.com/news/latino/first-drugs-then-oil-now-mexican-cartels-turn-human-trafficking-n1195551
- https://travel.state.gov/content/travel/en/traveladvisories/traveladvisories/mexico-travel-advisory.html