By: Margyle

From Siestas to Tourist Murders, Political Instability in Mexico

Everyone has a favorite vacation spot, be it a place to lie on the beach or a place to just get away from the annoyances of real life. What do you do when that spot goes absolutely bat shit crazy?

Which leads me to this question – what the hell is wrong with Mexico? The country formerly known for siesta and tasty tasty taco treats has become synonymous with drug smuggling and tourist murders. I’m not saying this is a recent phenomenon but it has definitely escalated in recent years. Even though most of the issues are in the north, it’s getting to the point where I lump it with Myanmar and Haiti as ‘awesome’ tourist destinations.

Does the crime in a country deter your travel plans? I know a lot of people who call Thailand their second home, but would they feel the same way once the king died? That country is on the edge of a major problem with the simmering political instability and an economy that depends largely on tourism. I’ve spoken with many Thai people who are not so optimistic about life after the king. I’m not saying the country is screwed and you should abandon it as a travel destination but… uhh…?

Same with Mexico. I mean, there are dozens of other similar countries in terms of resorts and temperature that don’t lead the news every night with either smuggling or hotel bombs. Let’s be honest, the only reason most people go to certain places over others is the price. Find some other place!

I’m not really one for lying on a beach and doing nothing for an entire week, so maybe getting my opinion on Mexico travel isn’t the best idea. That being said, as a history buff I would love to see something from the Mesoamerican civilizations, so don’t think I’m not trying to find a way to justify that trip in light of my previous ramblings.

How am I going to accomplish this to enable my travel dreams and, you know, make Mexico a safe place again? You might say stopping the drug trade into the U.S. might be the answer but that is ridiculously unlikely. What would you do, make people’s lives better so they didn’t need the help of a narcotic to get through the day? While we’re at it, why not suggest separating it from the continent and letting it float out into the Pacific, sailing heedlessly towards Australia? Actually that’s not a bad idea. You have to believe it would stop the drug flow problem.

Or I guess we could just sit back, hope for the best and check out Thailand while we wait for it to sort itself out. What’s the worst that could happen?