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raferguson

Feb 12, 2011, 9:35 AM

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60 Americans Slain Last Year in Mexico

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An article in the Seattle times had the following information

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60 Americans Slain Last Year in Mexico

State Department officials say that 79 U.S. citizens were murdered in Mexico in 2009, and that at least 60 were killed last year from January to November, though an official annual figure has yet to be compiled. The numbers have been rising since 2007, when 38 U.S. citizens were murdered in Mexico, State Department records show.

http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/...borderslaying13.html

If we assume that one million Americans live in Mexico, that would work out to a homicide rate of 6 per 100,000 people, about the same rate as the USA. The number of Americans living in Mexico is often estimated as 500,000. If the 500,000 estimate is correct, the homicide rate in Mexico would be roughly double that of the current rate in the USA. However, there is no accepted estimate of the number of Americans living in Mexico. Millions of Americans vacation each year in Mexico, but most visit for only a week or so, making their exposure to crime limited to that week, rather than 52 weeks a year.

I am always interested in crime statistics, as long time readers of this Forum know. These numbers, while interesting, should be taken with a grain of salt, if only because we don't really know how many Americans live in Mexico. But if these numbers are correct, the murder rate for Americans living in Mexico is similar to or somewhat higher than the murder rate in the USA. So that would suggest that Mexico is a little more dangerous for Americans than living in the USA, but not extremely dangerous. Note, however, that the number of Americans murdered in Mexico has increased significantly in recent years, suggesting that Americans are not immune to general increases in crime.

Richard

http://www.fergusonsculpture.com

CanuckBob

Feb 12, 2011, 9:54 AM

Post #2 of 17 (4167 views)

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Re: [raferguson] 60 Americans Slain Last Year in Mexico

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How many of these Americans were involved in the drug trade or other criminal activities?

Bob
Inside Lakeside
http://lakechapalainfo.bigforumpro.com/

bournemouth

Feb 12, 2011, 10:39 AM

Post #3 of 17 (4150 views)

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Re: [raferguson] 60 Americans Slain Last Year in Mexico

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I wonder how many of these people were dual citizens - not that it makes their loss any easier - but I like a little clarity in my stats.

chinagringo

Feb 12, 2011, 10:51 AM

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Re: [bournemouth] 60 Americans Slain Last Year in Mexico

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While the media may shout about US citizens with dual citizenship being killed, I think you will find that the so-called official numbers will often not include them since they can simply say Mexicans killing Mexicans.
Regards,
Neil
Albuquerque, NM

norteño

Feb 12, 2011, 12:08 PM

Post #5 of 17 (4125 views)

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Re: [chinagringo] 60 Americans Slain Last Year in Mexico

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The U. S. consular spokesman at the news link below states that as of Nov. 4, 2010 at least 84 U. S. citizens had been killed in the state of Chihuahua alone. Nobody pretends that the State Department totals for U. S. citizens killed abroad is definitive except people trying to downplay violence in Mexico for their own reasons. The State Department explicitly says they do not believe their list contains all such deaths.

http://www.google.com/hostednews/afp/article/ALeqM5irhh8atB5gA-IzqxpefqFmp1fc-w?docId=CNG.e51eb0a604e5216bb204d96a4bcb269d.c31

Four Americans were also killed in the city over the past weekend, including a minor, Mexican officials said.

A total of 84 Americans have been killed this year in Chihuahua state, where Ciudad Juarez is located, Crowley said Thursday.

(This post was edited by norteño on Feb 12, 2011, 12:33 PM)

Feb 12, 2011, 1:21 PM

Post #6 of 17 (4084 views)

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Re: [CanuckBob] 60 Americans Slain Last Year in Mexico

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And that is the real question. T

Rolly

Feb 12, 2011, 1:29 PM

Post #7 of 17 (4076 views)

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Re: 60 Americans Slain Last Year in Mexico

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It seems that the only thing we know for sure is that we don't know anything for sure.

Rolly Pirate

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Feb 12, 2011, 1:30 PM

Post #8 of 17 (4074 views)

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Re: [raferguson] 60 Americans Slain Last Year in Mexico

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I see zero cause for concern at your figures, in fact I am surprised they are so low. Over a million Americans living in Mexico? I think that figure is as accurate as we can get. And another million visitors for periods of a few days to several months. I would love to see all of your stats and your source. I would also like to see how many Americans are killed in Canada each year just because they are Americans. The devil made me do it. Sorry. T

tonyburton

Feb 12, 2011, 1:42 PM

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Re: [T] 60 Americans Slain Last Year in Mexico

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"And another million visitors for periods of a few days to several months"

You can add a lot more than one million. Using the World Tourism Organization definition of "tourist", Mexico receives more than 20 million a year, about 90% of them from either the USA or Canada. For more details, see Geo-Mexico, the geography and dynamics of modern Mexico, chapter 19. This figure excludes the approximately 70 million border-crossers a year who spend less than 24 hours in Mexico.

CanuckBob

Feb 12, 2011, 4:19 PM

Post #10 of 17 (4030 views)

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Re: [T] 60 Americans Slain Last Year in Mexico

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In Reply To

I would also like to see how many Americans are killed in Canada each year just because they are Americans. The devil made me do it. Sorry. T

What kind of a BS statement is this to make? You really need to cut back on your anti-depressant drugs Terry. Maybe the devil would stop talking to you.

Bob
Inside Lakeside
http://lakechapalainfo.bigforumpro.com/

bfwpdx

Feb 12, 2011, 4:34 PM

Post #11 of 17 (4020 views)

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Re: [T] 60 Americans Slain Last Year in Mexico

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Ask and ye shall receive: http://thejetpacker.com/...ie-abroad-each-year/

According to this you are much better off to head north for your travel. Only 19 Americans died in 2009 out of 12 million visitors to Canada, and not a single one of them was murdered.

(This post was edited by Rolly on Feb 12, 2011, 4:53 PM)

normamc288

Feb 13, 2011, 4:27 AM

Post #12 of 17 (3942 views)

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Re: [raferguson] 60 Americans Slain Last Year in Mexico

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The stats for North Americans killed in USA are astronomical. Just turn on the local news, Austin, San Antonio, Boston, wherever, and oh my gosh, so many murders. Just in AZ alone at the supermarket persons gunned down. I am also curious to the other question asked, "How many of the murdered persons in Mexico were into the drug trade?" Norma

chinagringo

Feb 13, 2011, 6:32 AM

Post #13 of 17 (3928 views)

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Re: [normamc288] 60 Americans Slain Last Year in Mexico

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Raising the questions about how many were involved in the drug trade is simply an attempt to validate the theory that Gringos don't have to be concerned if they are not involved. How many of the 34K+ Mexicans killed in the drug war have been innocents caught in the wrong place at the wrong time?
Regards,
Neil
Albuquerque, NM

Bennie García

Feb 13, 2011, 7:18 AM

Post #14 of 17 (3911 views)

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Re: [chinagringo] 60 Americans Slain Last Year in Mexico

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I am a dual citizen as are my children. If, God forbid, we became a victim we would be counted as American citizens. But none of us live in the USA and especially in the case of my kids, they consider themselves Mexican.

So to me there is a difference between tourists or part-time residents and dual citizens who live here permanently, quite possibly their whole lives.

chinagringo

Feb 13, 2011, 7:44 AM

Post #15 of 17 (3900 views)

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Re: [Bennie García] 60 Americans Slain Last Year in Mexico

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Point well taken!

In that we are so close to Juarez, I have seen the "dance" that seems to go on with US/MX dual citizens being killed in Juarez. Initially they might announce "US citizens killed in Juarez" and then it seems to evolve into "they were Mexicans visiting relatives or doing business in Juarez". In doing so, they seem to be able to minimize the outrage. Here is a link to a news article on the most recent incident from a week ago:
http://www.kfoxtv.com/...26783377/detail.html
It was all over the news when it first happened but has died off since. Have to wonder what would have happened if the last names had been Smith or Jones?
Regards,
Neil
Albuquerque, NM

CanuckBob

Feb 13, 2011, 8:40 AM

Post #16 of 17 (3863 views)

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Re: [chinagringo] 60 Americans Slain Last Year in Mexico

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In Reply To

How many of the 34K+ Mexicans killed in the drug war have been innocents caught in the wrong place at the wrong time?

That would indeed be an interesting stat to know.

Bob
Inside Lakeside
http://lakechapalainfo.bigforumpro.com/

eyePad

Feb 13, 2011, 11:34 AM

Post #17 of 17 (3824 views)

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Re: [Bennie García] 60 Americans Slain Last Year in Mexico

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Benny, what part of Mexico do you live in? Can you tell us a little about yourself? I live in Edomex and although I am not a dual citizen I certainly am not a tourist. Nor a visitor. My inordinate interest is in the Indigenous population - at least here locally, although mainstream Mexicans do not share my interest.