It was my birthday and I was in Chihuahua, the last place in Mexico that I wanted to be. The city had been all over the news. Worried about the number of students who head to Mexico for spring break, in March the U.S. State Department had issued a warning that strongly advised against travel to Mexico, stating, among other things, the following:
“Recent violent attacks have prompted the U.S. Embassy to urge U.S. citizens to delay unnecessary travel to parts of Durango, Coahuila and Chihuahua states and advise U.S. citizens residing or traveling in those areas to exercise extreme caution. Drug cartels and associated criminal elements have retaliated violently against individuals who speak out against them or whom they otherwise view as a threat to their organizations. These attacks include the abduction and murder of two resident U.S. citizens in Chihuahua.“
That warning made me more than a little nervous, but at the end of my Copper Canyon tour I was bound for the town of Zacatecas in central Mexico. The only reasonable way to get there was to take a bus from Chihuahua. I was confident that it wasn’t dangerous to travel in Mexico in general, but not so sure about Chihuahua. And so, I gritted my teeth, steeled myself against fear, and stepped aboard a bus to, telling myself I’d be OK if I didn’t go out at night and took all the normal precautions.
The bus arrived in Chihuahua at dusk and let us off in the central business district, next to an entire square city block that had been razed. Cars zoomed up and down the main boulevard but there were few pedestrians in sight. I looked across the barren lot to the lights of hotels on the other side and briefly considered picking my way through the chunks of concrete littering the site until common sense kicked in; I had only the name of a hostel I hoped would have a room available and no idea how to find it. Fortunately, at that very moment a taxi driver picked up my bag and ushered me to his vehicle.The ride was four whole blocks and he charged me $40 pesos, amounting to nearly $1 US per block, but since the driver waited until the hostel owner confirmed she had a room he was worth every last centavo.
The next morning I let myself out the double set of locked metal doors and headed out to investigate. By day, Chihuahua was a different place. I strolled the two blocks to the city’s massive cathedral and wandered around the central square. Women pushed baby strollers and children chased pigeons around the square. Office workers in crisp suits sat for a quick shoeshine before hurrying to their jobs. Tourists clustered around guides, straining to hear the history of Chihuahua over the din of traffic. Nowhere was there a hint of danger.
I crossed the street and leaned against the walls of the Palacio del Gobierno – the municipal offices of the Governor of the State of Chihuahua – hoping to take a photo of the entire Cathedral square, but try as I might I couldn’t catch a break in the pedestrian and vehicle traffic. I was about to give up when a young man approached me and asked if I would like to come into the Governor’s offices to take a photo from a second floor window overlooking the square. Jorge, who worked in the public relations office, ushered me into private offices where legislative meetings take place and threw the shutters wide, inviting me to take all the photos I wished. When I’d had my fill, he presented his business card and insisted I call him if I needed anything during my time in Chihuahua.
This type of courtesy was repeated time and again during my three day stay in Chihuahua. On my way back from a museum another young man who was washing cars on the street greeted me and we struck up a conversation. He had been a police officer in Copper Canyon until recently and he wanted to practice his English; he also gave me his number and told me to call if I needed any help. Back at Cathedral square, two teens insisted I take their photo, one posing like a muscle man, arms raised to flex biceps. “You tell everybody we are Chihuahuasenses!” they grinned. Even when I walked into the Quality Inn San Francisco Hotel unannounced, inquiring if I could see rooms in order to write a review, I was treated like royalty. Not only did I see rooms, I got a tour of the entire hotel was invited back to have breakfast in their restaurant the following morning. I heeded the warnings not to go out at night, but by day I walked the city center and never once feet at risk or even the least bit uncomfortable, leading me to reflect on our State Department warnings.
According to Forbes Magazine, which used the FBI’s Uniform Crime Reporting Program to compare murder rates in the for U.S. for cities with populations over 250,000, in 2006 the most dangerous city was Detroit, with 418 cases of murder and non-negligent manslaughter (47.3 murders for every 100,000 residents), followed by Baltimore, with 276 cases in 2006 (43.3 murders per 100,000 residents). Overall in the U.S., the homicide rate is 5.4 per 100,000 residents. Homicide rates in Mexico, while certainly higher at 10.8 per 100,000 inhabitants (source Wikipedia as provided by a United nations survey), have been steadily declining since the 1980’s. According to the El Paso Times, “Mexico City’s homicide rate today is about on par with Los Angeles and is less than a third of that for Washington, D.C.” Considering that most violent crime in Mexico is directly related to drug trafficking and fighting among the cartels, and that when tourists are involved it is usually a case of being in the wrong place at the wrong time, Mexico may even be safer than the U.S. Elsewhere in the world, Brazil comes in at 25 per 100,000 residents and in Venezuela in 2008 the murder rate hit 58. Yet the State Department has no alerts for either of those two countries.
Part of the problem is politics; elected officials have to be seen as doing something about the war on drugs and so they blame Mexico, while ignoring the huge American appetite for illegal drugs that drives the Mexican trade. Sensationalist media coverage is also a culprit. I am frankly mystified. I have been traveling solo in Mexico for nearly two months and have not felt unsafe at any time. In fact, I recently noticed that surveillance cameras cover every inch of the Centro Historico (Old Town) in both Zacatecas and Guanajuato, and residents and hostel managers in most places I have visited confirmed that it was totally safe to walk around alone at all hours of the night. Certainly, there are places in Mexico that are best avoided; I would no more visit Cuidad Juarez, Matamoros, or Tijuana than I would go to Afghanistan or Iraq at this juncture. But a thorough reading of the State Department advisory gives the impression that Mexico travel is dangerous and Mexican officials are rightly outraged. Consider this: how would we have reacted if other countries had advised against traveling anywhere in the U.S. after the 9/11 terrorist attacks?
Can’t view the above slide show of Chihuahua, Mexico? Click here.
Can bad things happen in Mexico? Of course. While I am not going to be buying drugs on the streets of Mexico, there is always the chance that I could be in the wrong place at the wrong time and get caught in a drug cartel gunfight. But I could also be shot down on the streets of Chicago or killed in an auto accident. We need to adopt a modicum of common sense regarding this issue. Mexico is a vibrant, gorgeous country with a rich culture and amazingly friendly people, and this is also one of the few places in the world where the U.S. dollar still goes a long way. So, is it dangerous to travel in Mexico? Not if my experience is representative. Come visit Mexico. The rest of the world is here.
If you enjoyed this article you may also be interested in my experience with dental tourism in Mexico.
Check prices for accommodations in Chihuahua at Booking.com, Hotels.com, or HotelsCombined.com. Read reviews about hotels and guest houses in Chihuahua, Mexico at TripAdvisor.
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Barbara, I’m a mexican girl, I just want to thank you because of the smiles you draw on me. Thanks a lot!!! I loved your article! :D… you helped me to remember why I’m so proud of being mexican… 😀
Great article Barbara, I’m please you had a nice time in my country, and hope more people give themselves the opportunity to come to visit us!
Good article. It made me reminisce my days in the state of Chihuahua. You should be okay in Chihuahua City. The travel advisories are most likely related to Ciudad Juarez and the ongoing wars between the cartels for over a decade. The situation has considerably deteriorated in Cd Juarez over the last few years. By the time it made news in the United States it was VERY bad. Having said that, I have been Ciudad Juarez, but not in the last five years.
I wouldn’t hesitate to go to Chihuahua City again or hit the Copper Canyon.
From a blonde haired, blue eyed wandering nomad…
This blog entry may make one think that it is only Americans (or the West in general) who have a perception of Mexico as a dangerous and lawless place, and that Mexicans go about their business like there is nothing to be afraid of.
I am Mexican and my whole family lives in Mexico, although I now study in the US. We are from Mexico City. People are scared, and many -those who can afford it- are leaving the country for safety reasons (including four of my cousins and an uncle). My own family is trying to migrate because crime is skyrocketing again.
The issue is quite complex. Many petty criminals have realized that the Mexican State is ineffectual at law enforcement -we’re using the bloody army and still can’t control those drug cartels! So those career criminals are upping the ante and taking more risks. They know that, with the Army busy fighting drug cartels, it is easier than ever to kidnap and extortion people. It is evident that Mexico is becoming a failed state, to the extent that law enforcement has become really weak.
Does that mean that Mexico is dangerous? Well, it depends on what you do, where you go, and how lucky you are. But it’s not the country where I want to raise my family, because I don’t want to have to worry about the whereabouts of my kids and wife 24/7, and I don’t want to have to hire private security guards or live behind bulletproof glass… So it’s not only Americans who perceive Mexico to be dangerous, it is Mexicans. When security overtakes the economy as the number one concern of people, you know that something is rotten… Visit Mexico At Your Own Risk
I love the state department site, but I also hate it…just for this reason. It scares me. However I guess those travel warnings are meant to put some fear into you….but often it’s a bit overboard. Good for you to go solo to Mexico. I’ve been reading all of your posts and not once have I felt that Mexico is unsafe. You are a great ambassador for the country! 🙂
Happy Birthday!
Awww, I like how everyone was so kind to you in the city. I’d say you have some connections now!
Each country has levels of crime and violence. I think it’s more a question of how the sensationalist media cast a collective fear as you mention in your post.
“Fear is the most dangerous of collective sentiments”
-André Maurois
I love this post because it is based on your first-hand experience and not speculation. Even a positive spin based on third-hand experience isn’t as relevant as what you’ve written here.
One statement I take issue with, however, is this:
“…most places I have visited confirmed that it was totally safe to walk around alone at all hours of the night.”
So… did you actually take that advice and walk around at all hours of the night?
I, too, have traveled throughout Mexico on my own, once as I rode a motorcycle from Seattle to Panama, and I have rarely felt threatened or insecure.
During a 2 week visit to Puerto Vallarta, I found myself concerned about walking back to my condo alone after I walked out of movie at night. Nothing happened, but I was pretty sure someone was following me.
Yes, this could happen anywhere, but I wouldn’t encourage people, women or men, to wonder around at night in most cities, let alone a touristy spot like PV.
Keep up the great posts, Barbara!
Hi Wanderluster: I actually have walked around at night, all alone, in each of the places I visited, with the exception of Chihuahua because, as I said, I was advised it was not safe to do so in that one place. Like you, I seem to have a sixth sense about where and when I am not totally safe. Funny you should mention Puerta Vallarta. I haven’t been there for perhaps 15 years, but even back then it was one of those places where I felt uneasy walking around at night. That may be because PV is totally a tourist city, with little other economy, as as such it s frequented by those who would prey on tourists. But on this trip, I have felt totally safe. In some of the villages, when I have asked the women who were sitting on the sidewalks chatting at night whether it was safe, they actually laughed at my question and then assured me it was.
I suspect there are those in the media who equate a lack of US government institutions with “lawlessness” and therefore danger. They’re thinking that Mexico is ya-know-sorta-kinda US territory, but with none of the top-down control within the US itself, hence it’s a lawless place filled with *gasp* people governing themselves! Shouldn’t be allowed! (Along with fun and creativity and all that self-expression rubbish).
If this is the case (and I’m only surmising wildly, but I’ve seen it in British colonial thinking many times) then it’s thinly veiled xenophobia and therefore grubby and appalling.
All too damn often, the newspapers thrive on sensationalism, which requires heresay, speculation (you know, like the first half of this comment!) and “word on the street”, which is a really great way of printing a pack of lies. Same in every country everywhere, it seems. Now they’re all going online, stepping into the firing line of public opinion, it’s interesting to ponder how they’ll change their habits when they can get flamed so profoundly and so rapidly by their readers…
I’m delighted that you’re seeing a better Mexico than they’re portraying. Sure sounds like Mexico deserves better than it’s traditionally got from the US media. 🙂
Sadly the travel advisories have become powerful tools in persuading or disuading people from visiting various countries. Hence there is a lot of political pressure bought to bear on nations to not make adverse travel advisories and sadly I think they have become a political tool rather than an accurate advisory service. I have watched tensions between Australia and some of its Asian neighbours over similar issues.
I have never had a problem with safety while in Mexico. It makes me so angry how unfairly it’s portrayed by the media. Mexico City, one of the “most dangerous cities in the world,” happens to be one of my favorite cities in the world. Great pictures and analysis!
Thanks for sharing your views from hands on experience. I’m riding a motorcycle in southern Texas right now and someone stopped me out of the blue to make sure I wasn’t going to Mexico. Anywhere in Mexico. It’s so easy for people to get skewed views if they only look to one place for news.
I think that Mexico has always had reputation for lawlessness, even before recent events. But I think that most people with common sense realize that most crimes are not targeting tourists. I am happy to hear that the people whom you have encountered in Chihuahua have been very hospitable/friendly because they need writers/photographers/bloggers like you to spread the word about what their city is really like.
I love your analysis and I wished more people would do that. I had friends from the States who refused to travel to France during the Bush years because they “heard it was dangerous” and the French would treat them badly. Like you and others said, it’s mostly about common sense – and learning a few things about culture/custom before leaving home.
Great post, I hope it’s shared all round. I just spent over 5 weeks in Oaxaca state. It was gorgeous and the people were perfectly lovely and helpful. Not a scent of danger, even after night fell.
I’m Canadian (my wife is German) but we flew out of Seattle (via Houston) and in the Seattle airport we shared an elevator with an American lady on the way to check-in. After we told her where we were going she said, “You see, in MY country, we’re banned from going to Mexico.” The scary thing is that I think many Americans have this idea.
We need to get a grip on reality. The world can be a dangerous place period, no matter where you are. Getting into your car to drive to work is probably one of the most dangerous things you can do, and it’s done on a daily basis without thought. What about the jogger in South Carolina who was killed by an airplane that fell out of the sky! Wrong place, wrong time indeed.
Hi Carlos: What a shame that Americans think they are banned from traveling in Mexico. I hope you disavowed them of that notion. n the other hand, people who live in fear can’t usually be persuaded to feel otherwise. I guess I just have to be grateful I’m not one of them. Thanks so much for your thoughtful comment.
I lived in El Paso for 13 years as a kid. The El Paso/Juarez relations today are so every different than how it was growing up. My dad would take me to get a torta during lunch and we would make it back across the border in 10 minuts.
After 9/11 this all changed. Three hour waits, etc….
But, please keep in mind that Juarez is the most dangerous city in the world right now. You can’t judge a whole country by one city, but people still need to be aware.
I’m biased though. I know people who have been kidnapped and ransoms heavily levied.. and paid. I know people in hiding (that aren’t involved with the cartel). Its not something you need to take lightly.
Hi Erica: Thanks for your comments. Yes, we live in a different world since 9/11, but I often wonder how much of the fear is baggage we could leave behind. I agree with you about Juarez, though, and there are several other places in Mexico I wouldn’t venture to visit, but they are not necessarily places I’d want to go anyway.
Great post, Barbara…and timely.
Your topic is solely the most popular question that I frankly am tired of hearing from people living in the states.
The press does nothing but hurt the tourist business which this land desperately needs. My answer to them usually is, read the Oakland Tribune or Chicago Times and see what real violence exists in the US first, then ask about it again.
If you do stupid things down here then you could be a magnet for bad luck, that is your own bad judgment, not only Mexico but anywhere in the world. If the failed “War on Drugs” was not such a money making business, I think that would help stop some of the insanity, that and the loss of appetite of the US for the product!
Your comment about the rest of the world being here rings true to me. So many times I hear about travellers from all over the world enjoying what a particular city or country can offer where the Americans are staying away. Of course it’s sensible to be cautious but government warnings are always quick to proclaim problems and slow to lift the warnings when any danger has disappeared.
I’ve lived in Loreto/Baja for about 20 years. Am a member of a few forums, where the scare posts are usual from folks way north of the border, whom have media addictions. We, wife and I, are presently in Guadalajara, and have driven a rented car all around the area. San Miguel de Allende, Guanajuato, Dolores Hidalgo, not to mention all over Guadalajara, a feat in itself. Only difference I’ve noticed, compared to 8/9 years ago, is that almost everywhere, the cops wear Kevlar. Military also. Take that as a sign of the times, since in the drugwar, they are at the front. For the rest, I haven’t seen anything that would warrant more caution than normally required when traveling anywhere in this world.
This is just my observation and I’m right here.
Ed Vandenberg
Thanks Ed, for your thoughtful comments. Always good to hear from someone on the ground full time.
Very well said. Couldn’t agree more!
BTW, Feliiiiiiiz Cumpleaños!
I’ve lived in Mexico for four years and I am frequently asked about safety by folks NOB. I’ve come to realize how misled Americans are when it comes to all of Latin America. The US press seems to be more interested in sensationalism than truth. If it can be taken out of context or made up, they will do it.
As an example, I used to be a fan of the NYT, but no longer. When they were confronted with something about Mazatlan that was pure fabrication, their response was that it was written by a stringer so they couldn’t be responsible. Of course, no mention of a retraction or explanation. I simply can’t trust the NYT anymore about anything.
But the violence in Mexico, and it does exist, also preys on some expats. Blogs and forums are filled with untruths, exaggerations and “he said, she said” statements of supposed fact. I’m afraid there are people out there that enjoy misery, and love to spread it around. Even if they have to move the “event” to a new location, leave out part of the story or ignore the fact that it took place three years ago.
I am not so foolish to think that I can walk anywhere, anytime. Even in my beloved Mazatlan. But then I wouldn’t do that up north either. It’s all about common sense and being aware of your surroundings.
Enjoy your travels and just use your head. There are a lot of us following you and taking notes about where we will be heading on our next trip.
Larry
Thanks, Larry. I love your comment: “It’s all about common sense and being aware of your surroundings. Very well said! Thanks for reading along!
I really enjoyed your analysis on this question that pops up quite frequently in the US media, who likes to take these stories and run with them…