I’ve come across three articles that I think are pertinent. I’ll give them to you in the order that I found them. If you want to cut to the chase, just read the last one.

First, here is an article titled Living with Mexico’s Trauma of Insecurity which is by a Mexican professor who lives in Mexico City and states, “To live in Mexico is to be permanently on alert.”  He tells some stories that would put me on alert too.  This is a disquieting article and not one to be lightly dismissed.

Next, I happened to find an article on the drug wars by an American who lives in a small city, Lerdo, in Durango.  This is no expat haven; Rolly Brook lives with a Mexican family and is up on what is going on around him. His site is widely respected and cited by other expats for its information on many details of Mexican law and culture.

Here’s  his take on the drug wars going on around there. This is a long post and when I was there, it had last been updated this April. It tells many tales, not one of which makes me want to go to Lerdo.

But there is also another page on Rolly’s site which I think is important: his page on personal safety and crime. He gives some statistics on how foreigners have died, other than of natural causes. He comments on the drug wars and goes on to talk about other things you need to take into account, like police misconduct. pickpockets, and more.

Those of us expats who live in the Lake Chapala area do seem to experience more attempted breakins to our houses and cars than we did a while back. Generally, the thieves are unarmed, but not always. They use tricks to distract their victims at times, like pointing at your tire as you are driving, so you think it is going flat. This one they seem to use with solitary women driving along.

Still, compare that to the places most of us came from in the US… Actually, it would be interesting to dig out some statistics comparing crime in Mexico and the US. Of course, not all crimes are reported here… oops, I’m starting that article! Enough for now. Readers, your comments are most welcome on this difficult topic.

How Dangerous Is Mexico? is a post from: Mexico with Heart - Living, Traveling, and Retiring in Mexico

He’s a neighbor of some foreign friends of ours who recently experienced the most thorough burglary I’ve heard of. Our friends were away on vacation, and their housesitters out for the day, when three young guys broke into their house and took their time. They went through everything, and got away with a lot of stuff. They even helped themselves to food and made a mess with it. The good news is that neighbors called the police and some of the items have been recovered. But our friends are still very stressed, and uncertain about staying here. This event seems to have been one of the reasons for the meeting.

So at the meeting. Kelly and I sat in a circle with Gerardo, a Mexican couple and an American man from the Raquet Club development where there have been many petty thefts, government officials from San Juan Cosala and Jocotepec, the Chief of Police from Jocotepec, the head of the Fire Department which includes many aspects of public safety, and some other people whose roles I didn’t catch. I was impressed with how many civil servants came to this evening meeting. San Juan Cosala is part of the municipality (kind of like a county) of Jocotepec, and the nearby larger town of that name is the county seat, so to speak.

The meeting was conducted in Spanish. I asked them to slow down a couple of times, and generally they did. Both Kelly and I could pretty much follow the drift of the conversation, but not all the nuances by any means. At first the people from the Raquet Club spoke of how much crime there had been and what could the police do about it? The Chief of Police described their situation, how much geographic area they have to cover, how much staff they have.

He and other officials stressed the importance of community members acting in concert with them, particularly by reporting when crimes occur. Various ideas for working together in the future came up. “Neighborhood Watch” and D.A.R.E were mentioned as the types of programs that have great potential, and I think it was said (the limits of my Spanish got in the way again) that there are similar programs in place here, to a degree.

By the end of the meeting, I felt a lot better about the future of San Juan Cosala for ourselves and other expats. Sure, as the Chief of Police had said, they are “not Superman,” but I was quite moved by the depth of caring and dedication that he and others exhibited. Vicente Moya, one of the Jocotepec government officials, contributed a great deal to the meeting and to my greater confidence.

We hear a lot of complaints from both foreigners and Mexicans about corruption in government. We don’t hear enough about the day-to-day hard work that goes on, largely unnoticed, to make this world a better place.

To find out more about the workings of Jocotepec, you can browse their website at http://jocotepec.jalisco.gob.mx. It’s in Spanish but you can still find out a lot.

When the meeting ended, people stood around chatting for a while. Kelly and I discovered that the head of the Fire Department had lived in California and speaks English as well as we do. Also we met another American who hadn’t been at the meeting, who volunteers with the Police Department.

It had gotten late, and Gerardo asked if we wanted a ride home. I said sure, and he said that he had to go pick up his wife someplace but that the Chief of Police could drop us off. So he did. A classy ending to an encouraging event.

Discussing Crime with Jocotepec Government Officials is a post from: Mexico with Heart - Living, Traveling, and Retiring in Mexico

It’s happened again.

Kelly’s toolbox was taken one afternoon this week while the patio de servicio was unlocked and we and our dog were home in the house. Also, a person who must have been small got in a tiny window of our motorhome, made quite a mess looking for things worth stealing, and ended up just taking a few more hand tools and the speakers for our music system.

We had fenced our property but there is one area where someone could get in and evidently did. The deed was done by a group of boys or teenagers.

Yesterday when our gardener arrived, we told him what had happened. Roberto is very civic minded and is himself the father of nine, ranging in age from early 20s down to about eleven. We asked his advice about what to do, and he said that there have been a lot of thefts recently in the town, but that often they are not reported to the police. He said it would really be best if we would report it, and that he would help us if we wished.

I said I had heard that small town police were often not that good, but he assured me that he knows them and that this would be the best action. We have a lot of respect for Roberto and quite easily decided we would take his advice. I had other plans for the afternoon but that didn’t seem to matter — Kelly alone would be fine. I still don’t know if that is because they were his tools or because he is the man of the family, or what.

Anyway, the police came and asked what had happened and so on. They didn’t write anything down except Kelly’s name, but they strongly urged him to go to the nearby town of Jocotepec, the capital of the municipalidad (like a county) to file a written report. So Kelly and Roberto decided to do that after I got home so I could go too. In the meantime, they had a talk with the caretakers of the house next door, as things had been taken from it too. Kelly said Roberto and the other man had a long conversation, in quite rapid Spanish, about the causes of the problems with kids and so on.

It was about dusk when Kelly, Roberto, and I drove over to Jocotepec. I had heard that there was a Chinese restaurant, the China Inn, on the main road into town, but I had never noticed just where it was. When our business took us two doors away from the restaurant, that solved the question of dinner. I ordered takeouts, and they were delicious when we eventually got home.

We went into government offices which consisted of a waiting room and two small offices. First Roberto explained the situation to the young man in one office. This guy asked for Kelly’s ID and sent Roberto across the street to a commercial photocopying place to make copies of Kelly’s passport and FM3 visa.

Next, we sat by one of the two desks in the other room. Two young women worked there. They each had a desk and computer, and there were some file cabinets. A picture of Jesus hung over one desk. The woman who helped us had a document on her computer and she asked Kelly questions about his age, where he was born, and what happened. This took about an hour.

It was actually pretty interesting. I was grateful that we weren’t there with anything more serious. Roberto and I had a chance to continue the conversation that we had had going earlier in the day, about what is going on with these kids. This is not going to sound any different from the US: bored kids, not a lot to do, parents who either don’t care or have little time for the kids, drugs, alcohol. But hearing it here, from someone who is actually involved in improving conditions as Roberto is, made me feel more a part of the community that Kelly and I, and quite a few other foreigners, live in. Drugs and alcohol are definitely here, as they are in practically every small town on this entire continent.

It was getting late (Mexican offices, like stores, are open into the early evening) and I was quite tired. I just let Roberto’s Spanish flow into my ears, in an almost hypnotic way. While I was following less of the details of what he was saying than I normally do, I was also taking in the Spanish in a more right-brain way. I liked that. Kelly and I were both really glad we had Roberto along as there was a lot we didn’t understand in what the other people said.

I mentioned to Roberto that one of the women I had seen that afternoon was selling tickets for an event in a couple of weeks, a kind of tour of the town for foreigners on February 5, ending up with refreshments at the cultural center on the plaza. The cost is 100 pesos, as a fund raiser for soccer uniforms for kids. He knew about that.

So Kelly and I are still dealing with the repercussions of the event — it’s yucky to know that someone was stealing from us while we were right here. We are talking about changing the fencing, maybe keeping the dog outside somewhat more. Through Roberto, or some other way, we may get more involved in the town.

Meanwhile, the weather has been gorgeous, high 70s every afternoon, while our friends in Colorado end their emails hoping that we are staying warm and cozy. Every place has its challenges.

Comments from the old blog:

• Hi Rosana!

  I am curious about what the Police said to you after reporting the Crime. Did they indicate that they would actually look for your stolen items? Did they think there was any chance you might get the things back?

  Roberto’s kids might know more about who is doing the stealing if it is kids…..just a thought.

  Say HI to Kelly from us.

  Beverly

• Hi Beverly — Because we reported the loss more than a day after it happened (due to not knowing the ropes and Roberto being at his main job the day after), people seem to think that the tools had likely been sold very quickly, but they did said they would be looking for the kids.

  I am pretty sure that Roberto asked his kids if they knew anything. — Rosana
  

• Anonymous said…

  Reading your words makes me wonder.., why are you living there? I mean…, with the language gap, the cultural disparaties, the realm of foreign customs lending to a sense of social isolation… It’s a tough thing. I’m not being critical here; it’s a question I’ve asked myself many times when visiting Mexico. And your words bring it all back to me. I’ve about concluded that aside from the newness, the adventure, and the weather, Mexico is a hard reality.

• I said…

  Thanks for your very thoughtful comment. I am finding, after nearly a year of living in the same small town, that I experience way less social isolation than I did for the first months.

  And indeed, the warmth and graciousness of the Mexican people is one of the things I like the most here. I now have several close friends who are Mexicans who I see quite a lot, and that makes a huge difference. As it happens, none of them speak English but they seem to understand me most of the time.

  Yes, Mexico *is* a hard reality. But so is my own country these days, in different ways.

• Fred Schultz said…

  Hi, Rosana– I found your blog, and it’s great. I like hearing your experiences–even tough ones like your burglary. And it’s important to see your thoughts on Mexico being a “hard reality.” My wife & I visited Ajijic last year and are seriously considering doing what you have done, so we’re keenly interested in your experiences. We looked at property in Chapala and Ajijic, and took the bus to Jocotopec (through your San Juan Cosala). Would love to know more about your decision to be there, instead of Ajijic.
  Fred, Oakland, Calif.

• Fred Schultz said…

  Sorry– I did not mean that I liked that you were robbed. I meant that I appreciated that you write about things like that, and your experiences at the police station, and other things that give us a clear and realistic view of your experiences. Fred in Oakland

• I said…

  Fred, I’m going to write a blog post in a minute about why not Ajijic. You did express yourself clearly — I knew what you meant about the theft.

  BTW, we keep hearing of a lot more robberies going on. One of of our Mexican neighbors had some chickens and a propane tank taken, a foreigner across town had her purse taken from within the house, and the story goes on. We did also hear that the police have a couple of guys in custody.

• Fred Schultz said…

  Thanks for the response, Rosana. Sorry about the add’l robberies you are hearing about. I imagine crime is a fact of life everywhere. We were robbed at gunpoint in our driveway a year ago in broad daylight– the San Juan Cosala burglaries are traumatizing, but it could be worse.
  Fred
  Oakland

• I said…

  Being robbed at gunpoint, as you were, sounds a LOT worse. And so many Americans think Mexico is dangerous!

Tools Stolen and What Happened Next is a post from: Mexico with Heart - Living, Traveling, and Retiring in Mexico

The thief came in via a locked window without bars on it, and their landlord has since paid someone to put bars on. But, in a manner so common here, it’s been several weeks and the work hasn’t been done yet. People have told this couple that sometimes thieves wait a while and then return to places where they’ve been successful. Disquieting. It’s not the only story of this sort we have heard lately.

Theft happens. How does this compare with the US? It depends on where in the US you are thinking of, I suppose.

Theft Happens is a post from: Mexico with Heart - Living, Traveling, and Retiring in Mexico

How do you find the crime where you live? Is there a lot or a little? Are the Americans “hit” more since people think they are rich?

I don’t think I am an expert on crime anywhere, but I’ll have a try at this anyway. As a general observation, in Mexico there is less crime against people than in the US and more crimes against property. The kind of random violence that occurs in the US is rare here. Domestic violence, unfortunately, does not seem to be rare, but you are unlikely to get tangled up in it.

There is a cultural difference between Latin countries and northern ones regarding physical things. In Latin cultures, if you own it, it is your responsibility to be sure it is secure. Quite a few of the stories I’ve heard here of theft from people’s homes were in circumstances where the door was unlocked and nobody home in midday or something like that.

When we were gone from here for a few days a while ago, someone reached into our locked side porch, which has open grillwork, and pilfered a few tools. I wrote about it at the time, and one of my readers emailed me that we should have gone and confronted the thief, since we knew who it was most likely to be.That would not have been a good idea, as it would have caused the fellow to lose face, and it is important not to do that. We were in the process of fencing our yard anyway, and we’ve had no further problems since then.

Are Americans more likely to be targets? I would guess that the answer to that is yes, if they seem wealthy. Or maybe if they are drunk. I did chat with an American man who had been robbed twice in the Lake Chapala area, and it came out gradually in the conversation that he had been drunk both times.

Kelly and I pick our times of day to cross the border or go to any area that might be at all rough.We feel generally safer in most parts of Mexico than in many parts of the US.

1 Comment from the old post:

Thank you for addressing my question. From my few visits down there, that is about how I figured it would be. I am looking forward to us moving down there.
Mike

Crime in Mexico is a post from: Mexico with Heart - Living, Traveling, and Retiring in Mexico

Queretaro has a huge and quite new bus station. If you drove into it thinking you were in the United States, you’d be sure you were entering an airport of a small city. It has three main concourses: one for first class and deluxe long distance buses, one for second class buses, and one for relatively local buses. We go to the last one for our trip to Bernal. Within the building, there are snack bars, seats for waiting, and reasonably clean restrooms that cost 2 pesos (about 18 cents) to use that you get to through a metal gate. There are several counters for the various bus companies, and when the people who work there are not busy with customers, they call out what towns and cities their bus line is going to. (The number of bus companies in Mexico is beyond counting. You can go everywhere by bus.)

To get to where the buses leave, you have to have a ticket and get it punched. There are a few vendors in the departure area, but the need for a ticket keeps down the numbers, and those who are there seem to have permanent stalls.

Kelly and I were in a Flecha Amarilla bus for Bernal and the city of Toliman quite a ways beyond it, sitting not far from the front, on the passengers’ side of the bus. I prefer this side as I’d rather see the passing view than the highway. Though these local buses don’t have rest rooms, they are quite nice — many made in Mexico by Mercedes Benz — and the comfortable chairs have high seat backs.

Kelly had just gotten on, while I had been on for about twenty minutes, doing a little needlepoint as we waited. As the bus pulled out of its slot and turned to get in line to leave the huge departure area, my attention was on putting my needlepoint into a side flap of my purse. The bus was moving slowly.

So I was surprised when a man about 30 years old began speaking to the passengers as he stood in the aisle. I was pretty sure (but not 100%) that he was saying that he was not going to rob us, rather than that he was going to.

There is a tradition of robbing bus passengers in Mexico, though in recent years there has been a major crackdown on this. It is more likely to happen between cities at night. Passengers are advised not to wear flashy jewelry. I had a brief moment of thinking that neither my gold wedding band, which I’ve worn for 33 years, and a nice silver ring with a garnet in it which I’ve worn almost as long, would come off my fingers since I do weigh more than I did long ago. It’s funny how these little fear-thoughts pop up.

Anyway, the young man’s next sentences reassured me that I had understood him correctly. He was telling us that there had been a car accident on the way from another city and that a three-year-old child was injured and in the hospital (or maybe that the child needed to be, I do miss fine points) and not covered by IMSS, the Mexican national social security health care system. The man was asking for any bills that we could spare to help with the emergency. My bills were tucked into my purse, but I had coins handy in another side pocket, and without my thinking about it, my hands were reaching for some coins. I handed the fellow 15 pesos, under a dollar and a half.

I wasn’t positive whether he was telling the truth or not, and I wasn’t sure if he was desperate enough to be difficult if we didn’t come forth with some donations. What I cared about in that moment was to create a human bond with him. As I handed him the money, I asked him the name of the child. A little surprised, it seemed, he said a long name which I couldn’t follow entirely. I said I would pray for the child, and added “Que Dios le ayuda,” or may God help you. He said thanks. As I had wanted, the connection had been made.

By now I was sure the guy was for real. Kelly later said that he too figured that the guy was sincere. He would have had to be an extremely good actor otherwise.

Several other people in the bus made donations too, and the fellow left, thanking us and saying thanks to the driver and to his assistant as well. The bus continued out of the station, and our ride continued without incident. One of my favorite sights that day was a funky little roadside stand selling accordians.

Later, we were talking the incident over with our friend Rob, who has taken that same bus trip many times. He commented that sometimes bus drivers let people on to buses, vendors with snacks or whatever. He guessed that the fellow had obtained permission from the driver to speak to us, adding that Flecha Amarilla was pretty strict.

I imagine that the young man was asking for help on as many outgoing buses at the station as he could. I hope he got enough money and that the child is okay.

Incident on a Mexican bus is a post from: Mexico with Heart - Living, Traveling, and Retiring in Mexico