Arrested Development - Ex-Pats Mexico

For a number of years, we have steered clear of crossing at any of the El Paso/Juarez options simply because we did not care to deal with the traffic, etc going through Juarez. Now there is another prime reason to avoid Juarez and that is the crime situation. I read an earlier article on MSN that I cannot find regarding the slaying of a Police Commander this week and they stated that there had been 1300 killings so far this year in Juarez. The following article increases that to 1500 killings: http://www.theeagle.com/texas/El-Paso-c ... nce-mounts
I believe in the theory that one can be smart and reduce one's chances of being involved but when things are so out of control, it seems that innocents are included in the statistics.

Crossing at Santa Teresa, NM is sooo easy, less time consuming and best of all, you completely bypass the City of Juarez!

http://www.elpasotimes.com/newupdated/ci_11463340

The above article is just one more reason to avoid Juarez. While I certainly do not blame this group for reacting, I am not sure that I can agree with their tactics.

Just another example of Sparks OP on the breakdown of Mexico. The Mexican military and police forces cannot deal effectively with the criminal problem that is affecting it's citizens.

When I drove through the Northern Mex. states there were a number of road blocks where I could not tell if it was a legitimate check as there were no professional uniforms around to identify who was doing what. Luckily they were all for drugs or fruit & veg.
It seems like Mexico can't even afford to dress it's law enforcement officers properly.

During our numerous trips between Albuquerque and the Guadalajara area, we have experienced roadblocks conducted by uniformed officers of the military, the Federales and the AFI (Mexican version of the FBI) but NEVER one by any group without uniforms! I think I would get very nervous if I were to be subjected to being stopped by anyone without obvious signs of authority!

As a general rule, the roadblocks have been directed towards traffic headed north only. The one exception to this general rule was during our last trip when there was a military checkpoint about 100 yds inside the Santa Teresa border crossing and they were checking every vehicle headed south. It was by far the most thorough search we have ever been through! Even the AFI search in 2006 started out to be thorough but once they determined the jist of what we had, they stopped about 30% of the way through and decided we probably had nothing of interest.

Behind the Troop Surge at the U.S.-Mexico Border.
The specter of U.S. troops fighting the cartel armies on Mexican soil is not simply a product of paranoia, however. The possibility was raised in a Pentagon policy document last December. The report by U.S. Joint Forces Command, entitled "Joint Operating Environment 2008", focuses on the challenges potentially facing the U.S. military over the next 25 years. It speculates that the Mexican state could face "a rapid and sudden collapse" from the onslaught of cartel paramilitary armies, and says the U.S. forces would have to respond to such a threat. "Any descent by Mexico into chaos would demand an American response based on the serious implications for homeland security alone," it says.

Rep. Roberto Badillo, secretary of the National Defense Committee in the Mexican Congress, said he had no opposition to the U.S. bolstering its southern border. "They have every right to move troops around and do whatever they feel necessary to defend their nation and its sovereignty," he told TIME. But he made a point of warning that the U.S. forces should stay firmly on their side of the river. "I would never, ever, support the intervention of foreign troops in our territory, and that is the way that 99.9% of Mexicans think," he said.


http://www.time.com/time/world/article/ ... 63,00.html

It has been reported that Calderon has committed 45,000 troops to the cartel/drug issue. By the way that is more troops than the U.S. has in Afghanistan!

The U.S. would be severely constrained in finding an adequate number of available troops to even think about entering Mexico. Granted the level of training may be greater but sometimes it take shear numbers to tackle a problem.

When I drove across 4 years ago, I crossed at Eagle Pass/ Piedras Negras. A young man at an electronics store told me his father was with border patrol and said that Laredo was too dangerous. Eagle Pass was fast, no traffic and they waved me through. After I drove about half a mile I realized that they waved me through the offices to get a tourist visa. I had to turn around. When I got the stamps and paperwork, I asked them if they wanted to inspect my car. One agent looked in a back door and shut the door. I guess I could have brought anything in.

Eagle Pass might add a few miles but it is safe and no waiting.

Pamela:
While I can appreciate the suggestion - I do have to question the validity of basing your recommendation on a four year old experience! We have been using the Santa Teresa, NM crossing since 2003 and have NEVER had a single experience that caused us any apprehension either along the border or for that matter, anywhere in Mexico. Prior to our trip in August of 2008, there was an article by a business writer, who drove the Chihuahua corridor, at least twice a month. In that article, he wrote about the desertion of the entire police force in Villa Ahumana and the fact that the military had been sent into the area to provide law and order. This got my attention for the upcoming trip and I watched the various news reports coming out of the area. Since it appeared that matters were under control, we decided to take our normal route. Did our usual early morning crossing and stopped in Villa Ahumada for Pesos at the bank ATM, stopped at the OXXO for refreshments and went on our way. No sign of the military presence in town and just the usual military checkpoints between the border and Chihuahua. Making the same trip again in October, we did experience something new and that was a military checkpoint within 100 yards of the border. They were stopping each and EVERY vehicle for a very thorough external and internal check. This included opening every bag and even bags within the bags. Our guess was that they were looking for weapons and we certainly had no problem with them doing so! While they were complete in their inspection, they remained polite and courteous to us. During that trip, we saw a great deal more military activity in the form of military convoys and a few new checkpoints, which were oriented towards traffic heading north. We also saw a very large Federales checkpoint a few miles north of Zacatecus but again they were interested in northbound traffic. Interestingly enough, if my memory serves me correctly, we were only stopped once during the two trips and then only received a brief inspection while headed north. Since we drive a FORD Windstar van with quite dark tinted windows in the rear compartment, we could have had most anything in there and no one seemed interested.

Since I am working on another trip south, I have been following the border situation with more than a little interest! Based upon prior experiences, I really should have no reason to worry. That said - one can always be unlucky enough to end up in the wrong place at the wrong time! Since Kathy cannot make the trip, I am working on a friend to make a "roadtrip" as I would feel more comfortable with two people in the vehicle. Am also revising our "norm" on where we stop for the night. We used to overnight in Torreon the first night after crossing the border. This time, I will cross the border later in the morning and plan on Chihuahua and then Zacatecus the second night. If I should spot someone around the border that is headed to Chihuahua and wants to caravan - all the better.

I read several articles that Eagle Pass/Piedra Negras is one of the fastest and safest crossings. Below is one posting:

http://www.lonelyplanet.com/thorntree/m ... D=13934406

An article regarding the briefing Obama received on the situation in Mexico:
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/29577612/

Of special note is the link within the article about the moving of 5000 troops into Juarez and some of the immediate effects.