A Canadian young man was beaten to death in Mexico but police call his death as hit & run accident. The police closed his case. The doctor examined his injuries and confirm without a doubt the injuries was sustained by multiple beating to the head.

http://ca.news.yahoo.com/s/capress/mexico_death

Sadly, it is the honest truth, the police down there will just stop you for nothing and then hold their hand out for a bribe to keep them from throwing you in jail. It didn't work when my brother lived there though, he's a missionary and wouldn't give them anything, and they left him alone. <img src="/images/graemlins/smirk.gif" alt="" />

All the more reason to offer yet another "amnesty" and import the culture..............................................................

Please be carefull people- in Old Mexico and in this thread's content-comprende amigos?

A couple of officers I know from a small town P.D. went to Tijuana once, and visited the local jail (everyone has heard horror stories about the TJ jail). They were given a tour of the place, then informed that it would cost them $20 US each to get OUT of the jail!

But, in their defense I guess, it is also well known that the police officers in Mexico are among the lowest paid workers in the country. They feel that they need "the bite" just to feed their families...

Si comprendo.

I certainly didn't mean to imply "culture" in respect to nationality but rather in accordance with the gist of the thread....

Desculpame.

I had an acquaintance years ago I worked with in a veterans froup who, upon graduating from the SEALs, went to TJ with friends. He was arrested, missed his report date (obviously), and was booted out. IT to the gov't two months to secure his release. He was arrested for, of ALL things, being drunk in public. While walking out of a bar. Now, this was about 90 or so...I dont see any improvement in human rights since.

I don't know the details on the Canadian that was killed but I live on this border and have been in and out of Mexico for years. Starting back in the 60s when we were catching mustangs down there. Our closest crossing point is Algadones. Just accross the Az., Cal. line. We get many Canadian visitors down here every winter. They treet the locals like crap, They all have the idea they are better then anyone who would live here and when they are on the roads it is worse. Now when they go accross the border to by their cheep booze and all the rest of the stuff they are getting less then 1/4 to what they are paying up in Canada. They really treat the Mexican people like dirt. I have never seen a more rude obnoxios bunch of what are suposed to be human beings in my life and I've been around about 70 yrs. I wonder if the guy didn't ask for it. It is true there is corruption down there. Take it from someone who has been there and done that. I lost 6 hd. of horses to their power play years ago and at that time the cops in Mexico City rented a corner from the city. They made it pay. Some of the border towns are on the shady side due to the drug cartells. But unless a person puts themselves in this type of environment I don't think there is much to worry about. After last years election they now have a presedent that is really cleaning things up.

Your post reminds me of some "survival" stories. We used to cross from Douglas to Agua Prieta when we were younger, because they aren't quite as strict on the drinking age there. Our only hard and fast rule was "don't get caught by the Mexican police." Some friends who did were down there until they could be bailed (bribed) out. (Parents weren't real happy.)

That fun ended after we did get chased once, and thanks to the psychotic driving of a friend of mine, ended up crashing the border gate in Nogales.

Never considered a Celica an offroad vehicle, but those 70s models could sure take a beating.

Sadly, too many young people watch MTV's half-naked "Spring Break in Cancun" or whatever and think the only thing they have to be wary of in Mexico is the police. They have no idea the kinds of violence any random person can experience there on a regular basis.

If you think it's dangerous to be a white traveler just "looking for a good time", imagine being a poor Mexican woman just trying to survive. That kid's family members aren't the only ones who have to pick up the pieces of their lives with no hope for justice.