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Comment by wing-_-nuts | Hacker News Reader

One thing that I think isn't treated seriously enough is the sheer amount of violence in mexico. The article downplays it; says it's only an issue with those involved in the drug trade, or in certain neighborhoods.

Go watch 'cartel land'. Mexico is basically a failed narco-state in many provinces. You'll forgive me if I'd rather not live there. Hell, I have concerns that prevented me from traveling there for the 2024 eclipse because the region in question is under the control of the Sinaloa cartel.

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Not even just violence - corruption seems pretty bad as well. I personally know two different people who were extorted by the police there, and when I asked by friend who is from there, she said stuff like that happens all the time.

I really dislike this attitude. I think it's over-hyped in the US media. Yes, there's violence in Mexico. But, as I always say: As long as you're not looking for cocaine or prostitutes, you'll be fine. I've been going to Mexico, including Tijuana, for 30 years, probably between 500 and 1000 times. I've seen crime, but never any sort of narco violence or mass shootings or whatever. My biggest concern in Mexico is getting shaken down by the police, and well, breathing - the air quality is shit as soon as you cross the border.

My dude, they kill people and hang them from bridges in northern mexico. They kidnapped a school bus of kids and slaughtered them.

I realize the US has violence as well, but at least it's usually one deranged guy, or two gangbangers that have a beef. In mexico it's organized violence. This isn't the work of one crazy guy, it's the work of an organization which does it to terrorize the local population.

Seriously. Go look at the US state department guidelines for travel to various Mexican provinces. This is not just something that's overhyped in the media. If the state department is telling you that you should not visit large swaths of mexico, that's a stone sober assessment based on real evidence.

https://travel.state.gov/content/travel/en/traveladvisories/...

I mean the US has organized violence too. A couple instances that come to mind are the MOVE bombing where Philadelphia PD bombed 5 children, and Waco where the ATF/FBI employment of dangerous CS canisters appears to have caused 26 children to burn alive. Photos of the aftermath show agents proudly standing over the rubble of the dead children.

https://www.pbs.org/wgbh/frontline/article/the-staggering-de...

I would describe a large portion of that as linked to the organized criminals in the US legislative and executive branch creating wildly profitable incentives for drug cartels.

I'm American and I've lived here four years now. Knock on wood, but I've yet to even see a crime. That's not to say it doesn't exist, I've heard of petty theft, muggings, and burglary, as well as narco gunfights etc. However, I can assure you that's located to particular regions.

Natural causes- natural to the line of work they're in

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