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This is for Mexicans, or foreigners living in Mexican cities only. This may look like it's beating a dead horse... but I actually want to hear people's PERSONAL ties to specific towns and how they've changed due to the escalating violence in Mexico. How has it not? Is it life as usualy in your town? Is it topsy-turvy? Cancun... long reviled to be a safety oasis, recently had it's mayor indicted on drug trafficking charges, revealing a network of drug dealers in the area?
For me, a native of Juarez, it's a lot more interesting than just what you see in the news.
Interestingly enough... people still live and work in Juarez. Recently an aunt of mine passed away and I really loved her a lot... so I forced myself to go to Juarez. (This was actually last week) The style of life is absolutely different, no doubt. People don't want to be stuck in traffic because theres a higher likelyhood that you'll be a victim of an asalto. You go to the grocery store fully aware that your car may not be there when you get out. Cell phones are an absolute must, and must be answered immediately... otherwise people think something has gone wrong. There are more and more neighborhoods that are off limits. There are some weird silver linings in all of this. People started to get to know their neighbors a lot more recently. Before, Juarez was almost U.S. city in the sense that people didnt really know their neighbors all that well... but that has changed. Juarez neighborhoods are now extremely close knit, and people are ever more vigilant in their communities. Violence still happens, but response times are quicker.
Oddly enough... people just got sick of hiding out. You see people walking out in the streets. Plaza Juarez Mall was PACKED the weekend I was there, movie tickets sold out. One of my uncles owns 3 apartment complexes and he said its business as usual. Whenever a tenant leaves, there's always 5 more to choose from. He has build high walls around them and hired a guard, but other than that, still the same. Parties still go on a lot... but people only invite extremely close friends and family members... they are less apt to make new acquaintances because any friend could be a potential narco, and a potential liability to you and your family.
You look at Juarez on the surface and it just looks like it's desperately trying to be a normal city. Decent roads, etc... but underneath is an ugly ugly reality, that many Juarenses just don't want to know about.
How about you? (Again this is not for debate, I just want to hear about life in other cities)
Monterrey were I live since I born, 35 years ago, always was a very secure big city, but now you have to be more cautious, the nightlife is slow down, and you must check even when you are driving to avoid clashes with narco or military convoys.
There's fear but also hope this ends in 2012, when with a new president we can have a better strategy in this war were no citizen was consulted to enter.
Monterrey were I live since I born, 35 years ago, always was a very secure big city, but now you have to be more cautious, the nightlife is slow down, and you must check even when you are driving to avoid clashes with narco or military convoys.
There's fear but also hope this ends in 2012, when with a new president we can have a better strategy in this war were no citizen was consulted to enter.
Critizing the president... or blaming him for everything is one of our national passtimes. We'll save that for another thread.
In the Puerto Vallarta area where I live half the year, the only change (which is pretty dramatic) is the slowdown in tourism because of media reporting on drug violence - a thousand miles away on the border. I so wish reporters could be more specific and not brand ALL of Mexico with their "stay away from dangerous, drug infested Mexico" warnings. This has caused un-told hardship on so many businesses, both the big hotel corps and smaller enterprises.
Yes, we've said it before many times - but it's like saying stay away from the coast of Florida because there are dangerous gangs operating in Detroit or NYC!
My partner's from Tijuana and most of his family still lives there. From what he's heard from them, things have calmed down quite a bit this year after an explosion of violence last year.
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We'll save that for another thread.
