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Jaraguá do Sul is one of the safest cities in Latin America.
However, I don't think you should worry profusely about being tied up in your own home. Worrying about that is like me worrying about being pushed onto the New York Subway. Sure it could happen but the sense of sensationalism or fear typical of US-American society doesn't really correlate fairly with reality.
On a side note, going down to Latin America to live in semi-fortified artificial communities sounds like a really sad way to enjoy your retirement years.
Not just Jaraguá do sul all the area of northern Santa Catarina coast at least. I was travilling in that area of vale do Itajaà (ItajaÃ, Blumenal, Camburiu and Bombinhas beaches) last month I was chocked when saw people left mobile phone alone on the sand to enter in the ocean waters or girls left mobile phone with my girlfriend (unknown for them) to go in public bathroom. Mobilephone stolen is the more common crime in Sao Paulo. People really don't care wearing expenseve stuffs in the streets like in Rio de Janeiro.
I think you could live in a ranch in any most German descent cities in the souther Brazil countryside because you will blend easily with the locals, (by look) many agrobusiness wealthy people, (you won’t be the wealthest) and these areas in inner Brazil are pretty safe.
I knew there were Germans in the south, but wrongly assumed that all of Brazil was dangerous. For others who may be searching through City-Data threads and contemplating a relocation to South America, I dug a little deeper and found that Santa Catarina is the safest state in the country. Also, there are more people practicing religions beyond Catholicism and Evangelicalism (another stereotype of Brazil). I found several congregations in the state of people whose religion I share -- an important part of moving to a new place is having community, which for me consists of being an active member of my congregation. There are also practicing Mennonites and Lutherans in the state. It's a place where people take religion more seriously than in much of the US and Canada from what I can tell doing online research.
By North American standards and again for others who may be considering a move to Latin America, real estate is quite affordable. For example, using what looked like a reputable online Brazilian real estate site, I found a fazenda (ranch/farm) with 4 bedrooms, 2 baths, a pool, and an outdoor covered entertainment area, all sitting on over 21 acres for under US$130,000 (using the current exchange rate). It is 6 miles from downtown Blumenau, an attractive city of 334,000 people.
Also for others considering a move, the weather in the southern Brazilian states is subtropical. See, for example, Blumenau's weather statistics: https://weatherspark.com/y/29902/Ave...zil-Year-Round. It gets hot and humid during the summer, but the heat is not as bad as the U.S. East Coast in the summer (from NYC southward). The winters cool, but it rarely hits freezing.
I am sure that one would need to know Portuguese there.
It seems that it's not the best place for those who need paid employment, however, but for those who have saved enough, one could live more comfortably there than anywhere in the US or Canada... as well as, it looks like, in relative safety.
Thanks to everyone for the ideas and idea sharing.
If you are American (look and sound different, basically a foreigner) and locals perceive that you are wealthy, are there any places in Latin America where one could live on a small rancho among the locals with minimum security without fear of being robbed or killed?
I can only speak for Mexico and Colombia, two countries I'm most familiar with because I have family there. A firm "no" to your question for both of those.
I'm not familiar with other countries down there except from what I've heard and learned from the many friends I've had over the years. I guess you would need to look at places like Chile and Argentina.
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Originally Posted by Pueblofuerte
However, I don't think you should worry profusely about being tied up in your own home.
I know people in Colombia who this has happened to. They were known to have money, were kidnapped and held for ransom until they paid up. It most certainly does happen.
I know people in Colombia who this has happened to. They were known to have money, were kidnapped and held for ransom until they paid up. It most certainly does happen.
Again your experiences are of Valle del Cauca mayb some places in Antioquia or Risaralda.
Again your experiences are of Valle del Cauca mayb some places in Antioquia or Risaralda.
Correct.
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Have you even been to Boyacá or Santander?
I have never been to Santander. I've driven around Boyacá, pero puro paseo nada más. Someone did tell me there's a town up near there that's supposedly very safe - Tunja?
I've been hearing that, depending on country, American expats who move to Latin America do best in places where other expats live and often in gated communities or semi-fortified dwellings.
Living in a safe gated community is common and a good idea (and that might apply from some U.S. areas...).
My native language is Spanish. I have lived in Panama and Dominican Republic. I have visited (some on business), Argentina, Belize, Chile, Costa Rica, Mexico...
I have never been to Santander. I've driven around Boyacá, pero puro paseo nada más. Someone did tell me there's a town up near there that's supposedly very safe - Tunja?
Pretty much the entire highland area of the dept is safe (which is almost all of it), you get down from the mountains headed toward Barrancabermeja and you start to see a lot of soldiers at checkpoints...or it was that way back in 2014. Boyacá is very safe, so is Santander.
The threat of kidnapping outside of super hot areas like Arauca and el Catatumbo is laughably low.
My native language is Spanish. I have lived in Panama and Dominican Republic. I have visited (some on business), Argentina, Belize, Chile, Costa Rica, Mexico...
The threat of kidnapping outside of super hot areas like Arauca and el Catatumbo is laughably low.
I wouldn't say that. It does happen, even around your area. Why do you think people keep live-in bodyguards in their houses? (And, no I'm not talking about mafiosos, I'm talking about regular people with money who live in nice houses in gated communities.)
On a national level DR has a comparable violent crime rate to Colombia.
Also having a "Rancho" (a the OP requested) in and around San Gil, Barichara, Socorro, Floridablanca, Zapatoca, Guican, Giron, etc. is perfectly fine and safer than a large swathe of the States let alone most places in Latin America.
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