Violence in Paradise

Posted by Larry F on January 4, 2012, 8:43 pm
187.146.129.155

The 6 o'clock news from a major tv network in Vancouver tonight gave 10 minutes of coverage to the murder of a Canadian tourist in Melaque. The message was very negative - travel to Mexico is dangerous. Don't go there. Several people interviewed said they would be changing their holiday plans. There was no balance in this reporting and no attempt to put things into perspective. Nevertheless, the damage is done. We know that things are not like that here in La Manzanilla. It is not a dangerous place. We know that we're dealing with something different than the case in Melaque and other places were violent deaths have occurred. Here, it's petty burglaries. Our thieves likely do not carry guns. While most murders of tourists are drug related, to my knowledge there is no evidence of that here. Our streets are safe to walk, even at night. There are no muggings. No assaults. The local people here are welcoming and friendly. The fact is , most crime in La Manzanilla could be prevented by the victims having taken proper precautions to protect their property and prevent entry into their dwellings. The other disturbing part is the perception that the local authorities here are either powerless to do anything about it, or simply don't care. I'll reserve comment on that because as a guest in this country I do not express political opinions. But perhaps we are at a turning point where enough of us are willing to express our needs to be protected and enough local authorities are willing listen and act.

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