San Miguel is an excellent to live. Presently we are living in Jacksonville,FL. but in one year we will be looking at MX. to live

There are many great places to see in the USA also.

http://www.thedailycrux.com/content/3961/Mexico/eml

But I would NOT let my daughter go to Acapulco, nor would we ever in a million years drive through the border states.

In Mexico, the federales use the military as a police force. In 2004? was it, there was a meeting with Calderone and Baby Bush where the oh so generous USG committed to something like $400M in “aide” for Mexico to crack down on the drug trade. So they beefed up the military and you now have the outright war in the border areas. Apparently, some drug gang or other was seriously defeated, leaving a vacuum for the other gangs. I wonder if Calderone doesn’t have his fingers in the drug trade and put the money behind his boys… Anyway, I have been told by many Mexicans that there is not a serious drug addiction problem in Mexico and I suspect that is true. It’s the CIA et al running drugs into the US and the ineffably futile drug war here that is damaging Mexico so much. And I blame the gov’t schools in the US for creating whole generations of antisocial people and for establishing their marketplaces for recreational drugs. Everybody knows that’s the best place to get ‘em.

Nice article.

Simon – How do you see things playing out in Mexico in the future?

Can you comment on Gerald Celente’s statement/prediction for 2012: “Mexico, once the US resort/retirement retreat, is as dangerous as the Congo, and its government – what’s left of it – is equally ruthless.”

And also on the Russian Prof Panarin’s view where he sees MExico taking over the SW USA – I know, very outlandish prediction!

Ultimately, my position is that whatever reality one holds within is the external reality one experiences. Crisis is a great opportunity to evolve. No one can really predict the future because the Universe works in mysterious ways and it is way bigger than what man can conceive. Having said that, one also has to watch and listen to the signs and move as one is guided.

I do have one concern. I worry about the economy relative to the oil depletion and therefore reduced income for the country and the problems this could cause in Mexico.

I have 2 very large properties on the West coast and worry what effect a significant loss of oil revenue would cause.

Any thoughts?

Ted

But I do have to say that it is the ONLY place where I have been the victim of crime.

1. One block off the Zocalo Plaza in Mexico City, my wife and old friend who lived in the city, were robbed at gunpoint. Also had a cab driver purposely try to scare us to death with his driving. It was no joke.

2. In Rosarita Beach, we interrupted car thieves that had my iginition taken apart, and were 2 seconds away from driving it away. I had to finish the job and start my car with a screwdriver to get home.

3. Bribed my way of a traffic ticket (that was no big deal, and no real threat though) in Cabo San Lucas. Cabo is no threat,and still will go there without hesitation.

I’ll still go back, but am much more careful.

We didn’t feel fear directly, but we didn’t think it a good idea to hang around until we felt threatened. Our son already was.

One day I arrived by car on a scene downtown where ten minutes before the mayor had been machine gunned to death in broad daylight. I was diverted down a side road and the ambulance followed me out.

The day before we returned from our second trip to Uruguay, an early morning attack on the police station a mile from our house left it riddled with bullet holes and abandoned to the Army. That attack (before 8 AM) involved a few hand grenades as well, and several cars were destroyed.

Recently I received from one of the more gung-ho, less easily fazed expats (he casually commented that the grenade attack reminded him of ‘Nam) a bulletin advising people driving to the border to travel in convoys of several vehicles.

One of our friends who has driven back and forth numerous times in the last few years says that her most recent trip, after being hit up by phony police along the way, will in fact be her last.

This is just the tip of the iceberg. I could go on.

We also saw an influx of recently unemployed ‘Americanized’ Mexicans. While the Mexicans are generally lovely people, the young males who come back from the States have a distinctly unpleasant aura about them. Even the locals don’t like it. And they don’t want to do eight hours of hard work for $15.

That said, I was pleasantly surprised by Mexico City – some really lovely places there. But no, it doesn’t have the worst reputation in the country. That award now goes to the border towns, and Sinaloa, and and and…. About the only place I haven’t heard of directly affected by the war on (some) drugs is San Miguel de Allende, a spendy and gringo-infested place.

Don’t forget 2010 marks the 100th anniversary of the Mexican Revolution. That too has potential to be *interesting*.

Thanks,Simon. Great piece,again.