Anyone have recent experience working in Mexico?

[USMC]

A friend of mine has a lead on a gig in Mexico. He didn't mention what city. He would fly in every other week, stay in a hotel all week and then fly home. His biggest concern is the crime situation there.

Anyone here have any recent experience with this and what do you do to stay safe?

[crash]

My MIL is a dual citizen. My FIL HAD a business down in Puerto Vallarta. They are now out of business and even though my MIL has family down there, she will not go accross the border. Corruption is THE name of the game down there. If you know that going in, and are prepared for the mordida amounts to steadily increase as less and less businesses actually do business out of Mexico, then you will be fine. My FIL had some connections in the government and had phone numbers of people to contact if he was being pulled over or harassed at check points, etc. and some of his stories are still pretty harrowing.

For me, they couldn't pay me enough to work/own a business down there...but then I am not the right "tribe" anyway, being a white guy.

[dukegrad98]

crash probably said it best. I can't imagine how much you would have to pay me to take that gig right now. If you gave me a free luxury five-star vacation in Mexico, with private security, I still wouldn't go.

I drove through El Paso and along the border on a recent trip, and even being able to see across the river was plenty close enough for me. A wealthy couple I know that lives in El Paso got together with their neighbors and recently erected a 12' wall around their luxury subdivision, and then hired private security to deal with crime that has bled across the border.

Cheers, John

[rjjablo]

My Nephew was in Monterrey about two years about for 9 months. Lived in one of the poorer sections of town. No problems but he had no money. Nor was he doing business or dealing with any of the groups struggling for control.

[edwardb]

I travel to Mexico frequently for business, and have done so for years. There is a very wide variation in the security concerns. The border cities (Juarez, Nogales, Neuvo Laredo, Matamoros, etc.) are all pretty tough and require great care. Other areas inside the country are better, but some are better than others. So the exact location really needs to be known in order to answer.

[dpmac]

Originally Posted by edwardb

I travel to Mexico frequently for business, and have done so for years. There is a very wide variation in the security concerns. The border cities (Juarez, Nogales, Neuvo Laredo, Matamoros, etc.) are all pretty tough and require great care. Other areas inside the country are better, but some are better than others. So the exact location really needs to be known in order to answer.

This is true. We have engineers going to Mexico for a week or so once or twice a month. No problems at all. We typically go to Leon or other places inland.

[Finallygotit]

The company I work for has four assembly and manufacturing plants in Mexico. I loathe every trip I have to make there and can't wait to kiss the soil when I return. I don't even want to go into some of the skirmishes I ran into crossing the border. Seeing automatic weapons hurriedly being drawn is not something for the faint of heart. If your friend does take this gig I would highly suggest getting a SENTRI and Global Access pass from the CBP folks.

HTH

[NiceGuyEddie]

i go to Tijuana several times a year for work. but Tijuana is a manufacturing city, and during the weekdays there are american businessmen all over the place. the overall aura i get from being there, is that the general people respect/want the "white american guys in khacki's" there because they are providing work, and they all know why they are there.

to stay safe, i don't go out at night without a native guide. i get a professional, US/Mexico courier service to bring me to the airport or border crossing. let's say i don't hire "Cheech and Chong" as a cab driver.

due to memories from bad past experience during a bachelor party, i really don't like going.

i will never go again for pleasure, tourism, or bachelor parties. but for business, it's not so bad.

.

[KillerBox]

Originally Posted by Finallygotit

If your friend does take this gig I would highly suggest getting a SENTRI and Global Access pass from the CBP folks.

What does SENTRA and Global Access do?

[edwardb]

Originally Posted by KillerBox

What does SENTRI and Global Access do?

Special (and faster) lanes through border check points and passport controls.

[TAnderson]

If your buddy is going to risk his life to earn a living I hear that there are contracting jobs in Iraq that pay pretty well...

[Finallygotit]

Originally Posted by KillerBox

What does SENTRA and Global Access do?

EdwardB is correct. Before I received my SENTRI pass, I could wait in line an hour and a half or more to cross the border. Not fun when your hauling around a loaded laptop case in the hot sun. With my SENTRI pass, maybe 10 minutes tops. I also travel a bit to Taiwan and sometimes China. On the return trips through LAX, my time to get through customs is about 5-10 minutes.

HTH

[Terrorist Hunter]

My brother-in-law left his job with a major medical firm about two years ago because he wouldn't do it anymore. He used to commute about every other week from my sister's place in Cochiese County, AZ, a good 40 miles north of the border where even on CONUS soil they experienced some of the problems which spilled over. Definitely not worth it in my book - TAnderson is spot on with Iraq as it's probably quite a bit safer than many major regions in Mexico right now. DoD also has serious travel restrictions up right now, as they have for several years if it's worth anything to you.

If you are considering it that seriously, I'd ask for your buddy to elaborate on 'crime'. Mexican Mafia? MS-13? Sendero Luminoso associates? Or just low level corruption?

[SeanHM]

We used to race in Mexico City and I have no desire to ever go back. We stayed in a 5 star resort because it was the only safe option. And upon returning to the track one afternoon we found a Swat/bomb squad leaving because of the bomb threats. There is something unsettling about seeing people with automatic weapons standing on the corner of the street on the way back and forth from the track. All of the race transporters had to travel together with escorts for safety and in 2009 they eliminated it from the schedule because the trip from the border became too dangerous.

[Bob Gruen]

Mexico is a 3rd world country and we are in the global recession which could get dramatically worse in an instant. Even if he feels safe if something happens (like the American dollar crashes, total meltdown in Greece that upsets stability in Europe, or Hugo Chavez wakes up on the wrong side of the bed one day) your friend could find his life in actual danger.

[edwardb]

As I mentioned in one of the early posts, I travel frequently to Mexico for business, and have been doing so since the mid-90's. The situation has changed a lot over those years. Some of the information here is accurate, but some is not and perhaps from those who only read the news and don't have actual experience.

Comparing Mexico to Iraq is a little over the top. No car bombs, suicide bombers, civil war activities in Mexico. As was stated, Americans are generally welcomed in Mexico because we are supporting a lot of business and jobs in the country. People in Mexico are generally very social and hospitable. The food is generally great, with each state having certain traditions and traditional foods. For the most part, food is safe to eat, unlike the old days.

If you are concerned about being "stuck there" during some type of economic crisis, then probably you need to just stay home. Any travel outside the country, no matter where, in theory could be affected by world events. But I think it's unreasonable to think you wouldn't be able to get home. I was actually in Mexico (Guadalajara) when the 9/11 attack happened. Was a very strange a difficult time, and it took us a week to get home. But we did.

As I stated before, the border cities are by far the most concerning. You absolutely will see a lot of police and army presence, including troops carrying machine guns, etc. I agree it's a little disconcerting. By company policy, we don't drive ourselves in the border cities, we are there only in daylight, and we don't go anywhere except to the plants and back. No overnight stays, no eating out, etc. On that basis, the risk is pretty low. But it's not fun and I don't recommend it. It's part of my job, so I just do it. I wouldn't quit over it. Having said that, I wouldn't live there. I feel badly for those who have to cross every day. It's a huge time drain and it's true some of the negative aspects of the border cities (high crime rate, social issues, etc.) extends for miles now into the U.S. side.

The inner parts of the country are generally OK, if you exercise reasonable caution. Just like you would in parts of any U.S. city. There are certain places you just shouldn't go, activities that are high risk, etc. Leon was mentioned. A very nice area and generally safe. I would vacation there. Not just go for business. Monterrey, unfortunately, is one of the worst areas, and should be avoided. Cross country driving in Mexico (as was mentioned) is also not considered a very safe practice. Air travel is available to just about everywhere, and most airports now are very modern and nice.

The bottom line is that no matter where you travel these days, you need to do your homework and take the necessary precautions. Mexico is no different. But don't be so paranoid that you can't move. If that's how you feel, then it's probably not for you.