Sorry Colombia. Mexico named as best place in the world to retire...

Simon says on Sep 20, 2007, 18:45:

"Sorry Colombia.........Why do y'all think Colombia didn't make the cut?"


It's not surprising at all dude, since we're still fighting terrorist groups, so there's nothing to be sorry about.

"DON'T FOK WITH COLOMBIA!!"-----Simon

0 funny, 0 helpful.

coffee beaner says on Sep 20, 2007, 18:51:

I think it might be because many gringos out there don't know the top quality prepagos our country offers, maybe in 5 years it will be a different story! ;)

0 funny, 0 helpful.

CaptainHowdy says on Sep 20, 2007, 18:59:

Prepagos??? These are retirees we're talking about...Do retirees have regular encounters with prepagos? Is that a consideration once entertains thoughts about when retiring? Honestly...I don't know...But it's a GREAT reason for tourists to go to Colombia...Not me, but regular Joes.

Teaching preteens the things they need to know!

0 funny, 0 helpful.

miamimike says on Sep 20, 2007, 19:13:

No Surprise there in that article! In my ex-wife's hometown of Guadalajara, Mexico lives the Largest Ex Pat Americano Community in the Americas. Great Climate, reasonable housing(if you stay away from Lake Chapala, ajiic and other tourist trap areas) Go to a Typical Mexican Neighborhood and housing, meals are very reasonable. Its a fairly transparent process to Join the Mexican National Social Security healthcare system($30 monthly). Pensionado Retiree Visas are fairly easy to get, Monthly Income is like $600 monthly(SS, Pension) if you meet this threshold.Many Retireees say they feel if they have to return to the US its a short flight or in some cases, a Short Drive by Car or RV. Ladies of Guadalajara are very attractive, not a bad thing either,,,Good Small Business Service oppurtunities exist to serve the ever expanding Northamerican Retiree population.

Avatar Legend: Bush "If any of you Reporters are wondering, it was a Size 10"

0 funny, 0 helpful.

expatriate says on Sep 20, 2007, 20:12:

Just a few years ago, the U.S. was number one on their list. Now it is 19? What an insult, but after six years of the Prez, I can see why.

I subscribed to International Living magazine a couple of times, but they were basically just pushing property that they own. They must have some development in Mexico they're trying to sell off.

Why is Ecuador usually near the top of their list? It is not as nice as Colombia. I'll stay right here in Cali. The health care is great, rents are reasonable, the weather is near-perfect, (a bit too hot), and there is eye candy for men of any age.

In a nation ruled by swine, all pigs are upwardly mobile.

0 funny, 0 helpful.

scotty says on Sep 20, 2007, 20:42:

yea right, mexico. i wonder how they made that decision?

Get Rhythm, when you got the blues. Johnny Cash

0 funny, 0 helpful.

msaucey says on Sep 20, 2007, 20:57:

I´ve heard that retiring in Mexico is less of a hassle then it is here... So, that´s one good point... another is that it is within a short flight to the states.... 3 to 4 hours.... healthcare is good.... food is great.. it has a lot of positives.... I still think their government along with a lot of others states has a long way to go.... There´s still to much corruption by the local cops and all that in Mexico... I´ve seen it more there then in Colombia lately... So, that´s a big bummer...

The trouble about trying to make yourself stupider than you really are is that you very often succeed. - CS Lewis

0 funny, 0 helpful.

mrgizmo says on Sep 20, 2007, 21:11:

Frankly I don't see how. The price of real estate in Mexico is sky-high just like in California and I believe you have to be Mexican in order to own real estate or lease it for a 100 years. I have a few friends from Mexico City and they would never dream of moving there when they retire, it's way too expensive. One positive thing is that you're able to driver a car into Mexico even if it's not a new car. You can't do that in Colombia. I'd still choose Colombia to retire, over Mexico and over Costa Rica.

Behind every successful man, there's a nagging woman

0 funny, 0 helpful.

msaucey says on Sep 20, 2007, 21:17:

I´m not sure of how they do it... But, there is a lot of gringos that buy property in Mexico without being nationals... They do need a visa to retire and live there.... Yes, you will always find expensive properties in Mexico, again it depends where.... Just like Cartagena, is extremely expensive right now, no? And you will always find Mexicans that will refuse to retire in Mexico... Same for Colombians.... There are some Colombians that wont retire here..... Nonetheless, I´m with you... I´d choose Colombia over Mexico....

The trouble about trying to make yourself stupider than you really are is that you very often succeed. - CS Lewis

0 funny, 0 helpful.

Ekdog says on Sep 20, 2007, 21:52:

I'm thinking of retiring in Colombia. Should I bring along my Viagra? Just wondering.

0 funny, 0 helpful.

christobeldawg says on Sep 20, 2007, 22:14:

In Colombia, unless you are a dawg, uhoh, you won't need it

admittedly, arriving can feel great too

0 funny, 0 helpful.

john_stark says on Sep 20, 2007, 22:53:

You can own real estate in Mexico. The Mexican Constitution prohibits direct ownership by foreigners of real estate within 100 kilometers (about 62 miles) of any border, and within 50 kilometers (about 31 miles) of any coastline. In order to permit foreign investment in these areas, the Mexican government has created a trust mechanism (contrato de fideicomiso) in which a bank has title to the property, but a trust beneficiary enjoys the benefits of ownership. The Bank Trust Agreement (contrato de fideicomiso) allows for renewable long term leases that may be sold or enjoyed by your heirs. Another way around it is to use a Mexican corporation to buy the property.

Personally I prefer Chile.

0 funny, 0 helpful.

toneloc24 says on Sep 21, 2007, 00:21:

Having been to many parts of Colombia and to Quito and Guayaquil in Ecaudor, I can see how Ecuador ranks up there. Colombia has some internal issues that must be resolved before moving up on the list. A great option, IF planned right and with the right intentions.

Contrary to the perceptions of many, Ecuador has a lot to offer in the way of benefits for retirement age people. Guayaquil and the northern coastal area have temperate climates, and costs/prices are very cheap in comparison across the board. All the creature comforts are readily available. Quito is a metropolis where all is available and housing/healthcare costs are inexpensive. Entertainment is more varied here, but costs for food. etc, are all very inexpensive. Flights between the two cities only cost approx. $60-80 roundtrip. Then, for the single male, there are the chicas, which would surprise many, who seem to really think all of them are short ugly indios. Not true at all. Also very little pretense.

The US ranking falling can't really shock anyone who has their eyes open. I'm not even 40 yr old yet, but I probably won't even retire here. Things and costs are just spiraling out of control.

"PBH is dead!!!!"

0 funny, 0 helpful.

kalder says on Sep 21, 2007, 00:29:

I agree with toneloc24 with regards to Ecuadorian women. I've met several very attractive Ecuadorianas here in London.

"kalder- have you ever had a woman?"--Sam Salmon

0 funny, 0 helpful.

el flaco says on Sep 21, 2007, 01:23:

I thought Mexico was more dangerous than Colombia, it's not on my list of countries to visit.

A few years ago Cuenca in Ecuador was voted the best city in the world to retire to.

Meanwhile I'm stuck in London for work and family reasons. Thank goodness for air travel.

0 funny, 0 helpful.

miamimike says on Sep 21, 2007, 05:05:

El Flaco--Its dangerous in some of the border areas of Mexico but certainly not all areas. This has been true for over 40 years though, nothing new there! This goes to show what happens when a few newspapers, travel writers ect. start to spread unfounded rumors about a country and then some people will actually believe it without actually travleing to the country and experiencing it themselves. The same thing was said in the News papers, TV, travel Magazines ect about Colombia when I first traveled there in 1994. I payed Absolutely NO ATTENTION to the newspapers, Travel Gurus or State Dept Travel Advisories at the time and went to see firsthand for myself.Glad I did, the reports and rumors all turned out to be mostly inaccurate. Very,,,People should do the same concerning Mexico, go and see for yourself,,,

Avatar Legend: Bush "If any of you Reporters are wondering, it was a Size 10"

0 funny, 0 helpful.

john_stark says on Sep 21, 2007, 06:08:

Aside from the conflict between the two drug cartels, Mexico is a safe country with far fewer homicides than Colombia. Monterrey has about a tenth of the homicides that Medellin has even now.

0 funny, 0 helpful.

Rob77 says on Sep 21, 2007, 06:38:

.

BOYCOTT CITGO - CHAVEZ SUCKS!!!

0 funny, 0 helpful.

Waterdawg says on Sep 21, 2007, 06:49:

Number # 1 .. I find it hard to believe that folks are still on the " International Living magazine " Band wagon , please , what a joke .

Number two , lived in Ecuador for two and half years , joke number two .

Editorial : Any man who would even consider talking about Ecuadorian women in the same sentence with Our Colombian must be Blind or Gay .

0 funny, 0 helpful.

kalder says on Sep 21, 2007, 07:53:

"Any man who would even consider talking about Ecuadorian women in the same sentence with Our Colombian must be Blind or Gay" You're either on crack or badly misinformed...

"kalder- have you ever had a woman?"--Sam Salmon

0 funny, 0 helpful.

toneloc24 says on Sep 21, 2007, 08:26:

Waterdawg - Where did anyone in this thread, besides YOU, mention them in the same sentence?

"PBH is dead!!!!"

0 funny, 0 helpful.

LA_MONA says on Sep 21, 2007, 08:48:

KALDER! I can't believe you are saying that????

Come on, a reality check is in order!

Para volar, es preciso tener resistencia. -M.Lin

0 funny, 0 helpful.

miamimike says on Sep 21, 2007, 09:28:

mrgizmo says on Thursday September 20th, 2007 21:11:

Frankly I don't see how. The price of real estate in Mexico is sky-high just like in California and I believe you have to be Mexican in order to own real estate or lease it for a 100 years. I have a few friends from Mexico City and they would never dream of moving there when they retire, it's way too expensive. One positive thing is that you're able to driver a car into Mexico even if it's not a new car. You can't do that in Colombia. I'd still choose Colombia to retire, over Mexico and over Costa Rica.
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

MrGizmo-You can find very reasonable Mexican real estate Today if you stay away from the US tourist areas. This is true in many other countries as well. Go into typical Mexican Neighborhoods in Guadalajara as well as 100s of other towns and you can find cheap housing.Your statement "The price of real estate in Mexico is sky-high just like in California and I believe you have to be Mexican in order to own real estate or lease it for a 100 years" is just not accurate. Tell us specifically in what Mexican Towns(outside of towns like Acapulco, cancun, cabo san lucas, San migeul de aAllende ect) in a typical Mexican Neighborhood(with only natives living there) where you saw real estate as Sky High as california" Please provide links to those real estate claims.,,,


Rob77-tell me, in what part of Mexico did you actually have trouble in or personally experience physical Violence?


MrGizmo-I went to Mercado.com(mexico) and just glanced at a few real estate listings, here's an example of what you may find Pricewise in Mexico outside of the Big Tourist areas, not anything at all like those "California prices" you write of. Not to mention, spend a few minutes on that website and you will see more reasonable prices on Casas, Apartments, ranches ect.You will also see some super high prices but don't forget, if you were to actually travel to any of these places and see the ads in the small town papers, it would in all probability, be much cheaper yet. eBay or Mercado libre prices are geared to tourist dollars. Remember the Mexican peso is trading around 11 peso to 1 USD these days.This Seller is offering a new Home in the Merida area, albeit small(perfect for a single or small family), for approximate $30K USD. Far cry from California prices,,, Think maybe with Prices like these are the reason Northamericans are traveling in record numbers to retire in Mexico,,,maybe ,,,

http://articulo.mercadolibre.com.mx/MLM-16870150-hermosas-casas-nuevas...

Avatar Legend: Bush "If any of you Reporters are wondering, it was a Size 10"

0 funny, 0 helpful.

coffee beaner says on Sep 21, 2007, 10:07:

Those Ecuadorians can't dance for chit!

0 funny, 0 helpful.

Waterdawg says on Sep 21, 2007, 12:38:

Kalder ; when is the last time you lived in Ecuador ?

Toneloc: No one did . So that means I can't make an editorial comment of my own ? Get a life !

0 funny, 0 helpful.

nine inch nails says on Sep 21, 2007, 14:31:

Mexiko good. Love them HMCs (hot mexican chicks). Yum.

The Hedge funds have all gone wild on us!

0 funny, 0 helpful.

gabolicious says on Sep 21, 2007, 14:52:

I agree with you NIN

Elección no canonización....

0 funny, 0 helpful.

Mr. Hollywood says on Sep 21, 2007, 15:05:

Mexico is like the US: Too big to characterize in a one line description like "best place to..."

There are parts of Mexico that are simply wonderful and other parts that suck big time.

I mean no offense to anyone here, but I find it hard to imagine why anyone from the US would retire to Colombia under the current conditions UNLESS they had family or relationship reasons. Just as a place to live it's A) Not that cheap, B) Pretty unsafe and C) expensive to travel to/from.

0 funny, 0 helpful.

gabolicious says on Sep 21, 2007, 15:07:

agree Mr Hollywood

"There are parts of Mexico that are simply wonderful and other parts that suck big time. "

Elección no canonización....

0 funny, 0 helpful.

la campiña says on Sep 21, 2007, 15:40:

obviously written by mexicans, but please carry on , yea colombia es muy peligroso jaje, It's so great to live in colombia a beautiful country and the people, ay caray son muy amables, lets keep this little secret to ourselves, keep it off the gringo trail, the less gringos here the better, with respect to my gringo friends of course, or indeed my none north american friends, we are not gringos ; I am not a number jaje, sorry ranting, la paz :-)

0 funny, 0 helpful.

Sam Salmon says on Sep 21, 2007, 15:41:

Retirees might spend their time looking at women but that's it they don't really care how hot the babes are.

Both Mexican and Ecuadoran women have something in common though-lack of a waistline-too much Indian blood.

' a la orden!'

0 funny, 0 helpful.

gabolicious says on Sep 21, 2007, 15:48:

yeah but some mexicans are hot!!!

la campiña "obviously written by mexicans" you mean the article???

Elección no canonización....

0 funny, 0 helpful.

la campiña says on Sep 21, 2007, 16:02:

si Gabo, the article, but whatever, each to his own, for me latinos are the most passionate people in the world and the most beautiful, thats why I prefer colombia to england, strange but true. La verdad :-)

0 funny, 0 helpful.

gabolicious says on Sep 21, 2007, 16:12:

oh yeah! I agree with you, we latins are cool people hahahahahahaha ;)

Regarding the article being written by mexicans, there is a saying and I don't know if there is an equivalent in English, but the saying goes

"cada quien trata de llevar agua a su molino"

=)

Elección no canonización....

0 funny, 0 helpful.

Monpirri says on Sep 21, 2007, 19:06:

Don Medardo - Cumbia Manabi - Ecuador

Obviously people here do not know much about Ecuador! It's an ideal place to retire also.
******************************************************************************************************
Grupo Deseo - La Pollera Colorada

Our sisters from Ecuador they do know how to dance!! Just visit Ecuador and visit their nightclubs and learn a little bit more about ECUADOR.

The life spam of a taste bud is ten days

0 funny, 0 helpful.

la campiña says on Sep 21, 2007, 19:52:

como se dice , nuncar dar papaya, I know this is an old thread , BUT I have 2 papaya trees in my garden , sorry just had to share that one , desayuno ricisimo ha

0 funny, 0 helpful.

christobeldawg says on Sep 21, 2007, 20:38:

man alive those are great fun to watch utube videos

admittedly, arriving can feel great too

0 funny, 0 helpful.

Sam Salmon says on Sep 21, 2007, 20:41:

"Just visit Ecuador and visit their nightclubs and learn a little bit more about ECUADOR."

Been there/done that Ecuador can't hold a candle to Colombia.

' a la orden!'

0 funny, 0 helpful.

john_stark says on Sep 21, 2007, 21:45:

Mr. Hollywood is absolutely correct, as usual.

0 funny, 0 helpful.

goin_south says on Sep 22, 2007, 04:32:

Hey Kalder....

All I got to say is about that video is: Hips Don't Lie .... jejje..
I've got three left feet, but I think I can move my hips a lil better than those 'girls'

Even the horses were almost dead....jejje

Why Not Colombia?..........Stay Tuned, for more.... utterly worthless, self-indulgent gobbets of nonsense.

0 funny, 0 helpful.

goin_south says on Sep 22, 2007, 04:32:

/.`=)

Why Not Colombia?..........Stay Tuned, for more.... utterly worthless, self-indulgent gobbets of nonsense.

0 funny, 0 helpful.

goin_south says on Sep 22, 2007, 04:32:

kalder... that video should have been posted in 'THE BASEMENT'... under "The Worst of You Tube" ;)

Why Not Colombia?..........Stay Tuned, for more.... utterly worthless, self-indulgent gobbets of nonsense.

0 funny, 0 helpful.

Monpirri says on Sep 22, 2007, 08:35:

Manabi-Ecuador-modelos ecuatorianas calientes-Patria-G Combo

Here's a better video about Ecuador and women from Ecuador.

The life spam of a taste bud is ten days

0 funny, 0 helpful.

manINred says on Sep 22, 2007, 10:02:

To defend Ecuador a bit, it is a GORGEOUS country. There are many pretty women in Ecuador too, but realistically the country does not hold a candle to Colombia in that respect.

Quito can be somewhat dangerous though. I've had more problems there than in Medellin. I was coming home drunk from a bar with my best friend, and he decided to walk home in Mariscal, I took a cab, and he got punched and almost pussy-knifed for $5.00 by some short Ecuadorian dudes. I came along in the cab and he hopped in, we went home, and then set off for Colombia the next day.

If you want to retire in Ecuador, do it on the pacific coast, or on some nice Andean farmland. Tranquil, cheap as chips, and beautiful.

0 funny, 0 helpful.

goin_south says on Sep 22, 2007, 11:00:

thanks monpirri, for leveling the playing field ;)
nice video.
Now, we know you're not really a colombian bigot ;)

Why Not Colombia?..........Stay Tuned, for more.... utterly worthless, self-indulgent gobbets of nonsense.

0 funny, 0 helpful.

Lucas Freley says on Sep 22, 2007, 11:02:

Tienes razon Mac, no tienen ni idea sobre Ecuador. Deben pensar que solo es la linea que divide el Tropico. La zona costeña es muy linda, Salinas, Guayaquil, las Galapagos. Y en esa zona estan las mujeres mas hermosas de Ecuador. La zona serrana, tambien es muy linda, como Quito y Cuenca. Tengo amigos allá, y puedo decir que la gente de clase alta, vive muy bien, incluso mejor que mucha clase media y profesionales de cualquier pais. De hecho tengo un compañero de Quito haciendo el postrgrado de tecnología aca en Buenos Aires, y a él le resulta muy economico. Pero la clase media baja de Ecuador, esa es otra historia muy diferente.

Hoy que estás esplendida y que todo lo iluminas, demos un paseo, vuelta por el Universo (Gustavo Cerati)

0 funny, 0 helpful.

Simon says on Sep 22, 2007, 15:40:

Mexico crime continues to surge

Jay Root | McClatchy Newspapers

last updated: September 22, 2007 04:53:05 PM

MEXICO CITY — Federal crimes such as gangland-style murders and kidnappings reached record levels in Mexico during the first half of the year, a new report from Mexico's Congress found, making Mexico one of the world's most dangerous countries.

One analyst who worked on the report said Mexico's murder rate now tops all others in the Western Hemisphere.

"In a global context, we suffer from more homicides, that is to say, violent deaths, than any other region in the world except for certain regions on the African continent,'' said Eduardo Rojas, who helped put together the crime report at the Center for Social and Public Opinion Studies, a research arm of the Mexico's Chamber of Deputies.

The report, made public last week, was a setback for Mexican President Felipe Calderon, whose tough new war on drug trafficking has sent thousands of Mexican Army troops into the countryside and a record number of drug suspects to the United States for trial.

The report said that major federal crimes, which include homicides, kidnappings and arms trafficking, rose 25 percent in the first half of 2007 over the same period last year. In 2006, the same crimes rose 22 percent over the previous year.

Gangland style executions have risen 155 percent since 2001, according to the congressional report.

Crime has been on the rise in Mexico throughout the last decade as drug cartels battle for control of lucrative smuggling routes. But the new findings come at a politically charged time for the Calderon administration, which is also confronting a new threat from an old foe — the shadowy Popular Revolutionary Army or EPR, its Spanish acronym.

EPR's coordinated bombings of natural gas pipelines, first in July and then in September, have exposed government intelligence failures and the vulnerability of the petroleum infrastructure in Mexico, the second largest oil exporter to the United States.

"The reality is the government has been pursuing the top EPR leaders for at least five years, and they haven't been able to catch them,'' said Mexican political commentator Raymundo Riva Palacio.

The attacks have been unexpectedly sophisticated. The September blasts caused millions of dollars in economic losses when the state-owned oil company, Pemex, had to cut off gas supplies to thousands of businesses, including major multi-national companies such as Grupo Modelo, the makers of Corona beer, and Vitro, the largest glassmaker in the world.

"These people that are placing these devices know something about the flow of the oil and gas,'' said one American official who spoke on the condition of anonymity because he was not authorized to comment publicly. "They didn't just place it randomly in the middle of the valve system.''

Experts believe the EPR, a Marxist group that traces its origins to the armed guerilla movements of the 1970s, finances its activities with ransom from kidnapped businessmen. The guerillas say the attacks will continue until authorities release two comrades who disappeared in Oaxaca in May; state and federal officials say they're not in government custody.

The group's reach appears to be countrywide. The first blasts struck multiple locations in central Mexico. The second set hit coastal Veracruz. On Wednesday, security was beefed up around pipelines in northern Chihuahua state after EPR graffiti was discovered on installations there.

Mexican Attorney General Eduardo Medina Mora recently told reporters that the guerrilla bombings "distract" authorities from their battle against organized crime.

Calderon, who took office in December after a contentious election that saw him win with less than a third of the vote, had vowed to curb Mexico's drug violence.

In January, he ordered a huge military and legal offensive, sending more than 20,000 soldiers to hot spots throughout the country and dropping Mexico's traditional hesitancy to send accused drug traffickers to face charges in the United States. By August his administration had extradited a record 64 accused drug traffickers.

The offensive won praise from the Bush administration and Mexicans, but gangland-style executions have surged, with the report counting 1,588 in the first half of 2007. For the full year of 2001, there were 1,080 such crimes, the report said.

Mexico's violence is often spectacular and lurid, with tales of street shootouts, decapitations and bomb blasts filling Mexico's news pages and airwaves. No place is immune, including the buildings of the country's news outlets.

In May a severed head wrapped in newspaper was left in a cooler outside the office of Tabasco Hoy in Villahermosa, where drug violence is on the rise. Grenades have been tossed into newsrooms from Cancun to Nuevo Laredo in the past 18 months. The Paris-based organization Reporters Without Borders reported that Mexico was the most dangerous country for journalists in 2006, after Iraq.

On May 14, suspected drug traffickers on motorcycles gunned down Jose Nemesio Lugo, a senior federal investigator in charge of gathering intelligence on drug traffickers, in Mexico City's upscale Coyoacan neighborhood. Two days later in Sonora state, about 20 miles south of Arizona, a five-hour shootout between heavily armed commandos and police left 20 people dead.

The bloodbath continued unabated this month, with the assassinations of two state police chiefs. The first was Jaime Flores of San Luis Potosi state, shot in the head multiple times in front of his wife on Sept. 13. Then on Wednesday came news that Marcos Manuel Souberville, the state police chief in Hidalgo, had fallen in a hail of bullets during an afternoon drive-by shooting.

Many prominent Mexicans have sought refuge in the United States, but that is no guarantee of safety. Mario Espinoza Lobato, a businessman and city councilman from Ciudad Acuna, was gunned down Wednesday at his home in neighboring Del Rio, Texas, authorities said. He was an outspoken critic of the criminal gangs that he said had tried to kidnap him.

Kidnapping is a multi-million dollar industry in Mexico. The report from Congress indicates there are about 4,500 kidnappings a year, about a third of which are reported. Greg Bangs, head of the kidnapping and ransom unit at the Chubb Group of Insurance Companies, said Mexico has rocketed past Colombia to become the world's ransom capital.

"Mexico is now very definitely No. 1 in the world in terms of the numbers of kidnappings,'' Bangs said. "Kidnappers are indicating how serous they are by sending parts of ears and noses and fingers and various bodily parts ... they didn't used to do that so much, but that seems to be more prevalent.''

Top officials here continue to insist their efforts are paying off even if the numbers don't show it. At a news conference last week, Medina, the attorney general, told reporters "there is a decrease" in organized crime murders.

But then Medina provided figures for "violent executions" in January and February — 175 and 208, respectively.

"They're going down?'' one reporter asked.

"I wish they were lower than last year,'' Medina responded. "But in the first months of this year there were more than in the same period last year.''

Congressman Juan Francisco Rivera, chairman of the Chamber of Deputies Committee on Security, expressed confidence in the government's crime-fighting campaign. He said pointedly that Americans should not be so quick to judge Mexico.

He described the country's violent crime wave as temporary, while in "cities like Detroit, Houston or Dallas, it has become a permanent thing.'' Rivera also called on U.S. authorities to do more to stop illicit firearms exports.

"That's what is killing us,'' Rivera said. "I think if look at the number of arrests, the number of drug seizures, the number of policemen who have risked their lives and who have been killed, I think it shows that our Army and local police forces are engaged in a frontal battle.''

(Root reports for the Fort Worth Star-Telegram.)

Mexico's rising crime rate.

The following chart shows the average number of serious federal crimes reported daily from 1998 to 2007.

Year Incidents Reported Daily

1998 205.1

1999 208.7

2000 223.4

2001 203.1

2002 202.2

2003 222.5

2004 222.8

2005 245.3

2006 300.4

2007(Jan-Jun) 375.5

Source: Centro de Estudios Sociales y de Opinion Publica, Camara de Diputados, Mexico

For the full report, in Spanish, click on Reporte CESOP No. 4 at http://www3.diputados.gob.mx/camara/001_diputados/006_centros_de_estud...

� McClatchy Newspapers 2007

"DON'T FOK WITH COLOMBIA!!"-----Simon

0 funny, 0 helpful.

Robert Jorge says on Sep 22, 2007, 21:17:

No matter where or what happens, EVERYTHING is the fault, or partially the fault of the US. This chaos in Mexico now is because of the US consumption of drugs, and the exportation of weapons. The Mexicans are pissed because some in the US want to close the border, but they are also pissed because guns (illegally bought, traded, stolen, and modified) seem to mysteriously make their way to Mexico.

By the way, great post Simon. I am going to forward it to my parents who are scared to go to Colombia to see me get married, but have no problem going to Mexico.

He who farts in church, sits in his own pew.

0 funny, 0 helpful.

john_stark says on Sep 22, 2007, 22:11:

Those numbers are still not high when you consider there are 108 million Mexicans. Imagine 375 federal offenses in a day in a country of 108 million.

0 funny, 0 helpful.

john_stark says on Sep 22, 2007, 22:11:

Those numbers are still not high when you consider there are 108 million Mexicans. Imagine 375 federal offenses in a day in a country of 108 million.

0 funny, 0 helpful.

christobeldawg says on Sep 22, 2007, 22:15:

wonder how many there are per day in the good ole USA, with our close to 300 million people

admittedly, arriving can feel great too

0 funny, 0 helpful.

Robert Jorge says on Sep 22, 2007, 23:27:

True ... good point(s) JS and ChristoBD.

He who farts in church, sits in his own pew.

0 funny, 0 helpful.

christobeldawg says on Sep 22, 2007, 23:49:

federal crimes. is this the same as what we know in the US as felonies? if that is the case, I would geuss we are at least equal in number to those reported Mexican numbers. If that is not the case, as in, if we are talking more serious crimes than that of general felonies, maybe not

admittedly, arriving can feel great too

0 funny, 0 helpful.

christobeldawg says on Sep 22, 2007, 23:59:

.

admittedly, arriving can feel great too

0 funny, 0 helpful.

Monpirri says on Sep 23, 2007, 05:16:

Lucas, I'm with you, I mean they claim to know about South america but they do not know anything. I have also met gorgeous girls from Ecuador
Thanks for sharing your experience in Ecuador.

The life spam of a taste bud is ten days

0 funny, 0 helpful.

Cerealkiller says on Sep 23, 2007, 06:34:

Well I dont know why colombia didnt make it, perhaps because there are not many expats living down there, people are just starting to explore colombia. I am glad it did not make it to the top 100 and I wish it stayed that way. Id definitely remove it from my list if that ever happened, it would lose its charm and the median age would go up by many years, thats just creepy. As far as Im concerned, retirees should stick to mexico and ecuador...fine by me.

Conservatives are not necessarily stupid, but most stupid people are conservatives -John Stuart Mill

0 funny, 0 helpful.

kalder says on Sep 24, 2007, 00:37:

goin_south

To be perfectly frank, I'm not in the least bit interested in their terpsichorean prowess (or lack thereof).

I just find them horny. Well, three of them anyway... :)

"kalder- have you ever had a woman?"--Sam Salmon

0 funny, 0 helpful.

goin_south says on Sep 24, 2007, 00:49:

R U talkin about the horses? or, the girls?
;)

Why Not Colombia?..........Stay Tuned, for more.... utterly worthless, self-indulgent gobbets of nonsense.

0 funny, 0 helpful.

christobeldawg says on Sep 24, 2007, 01:03:

why Colombia didn't make it? I have gotten pretty familiar with the country, and I like it very much, in many ways, not so much in others, but overall, it's all good, but the perception from outside is still bad, really all, sorry, but very bad. I didn't want to be the one to say it, but, well, ok, I will say it. most of my friends and family are, quite frankly, a bit amazed that I even go to Colombia, some of them are in tears of worry over it. It aint right, these perceptions, for the most part, but that is the perception. I hope it will change over time, and believe it likely will. I am thinking, lessen poverty, and things will be less threatening to tourists, and retirees. want them or not, all of that is vital to the country truly getting up to first world standards, which it has the capability of doing, no doubt, and that will help the poor people there. well, that along with the drug problem. not sure how to handle that, but over time, some good envisioning of something better there should get it smoothed out.

admittedly, arriving can feel great too

0 funny, 0 helpful.

robi666 (Trustee board) says on Sep 24, 2007, 03:03:

"Sorry Colombia. Mexico named as best place in the world to retire..."
Why sorry? Who wants a bunch of old rotten pale asses living here?

"I am a citizen of the most beautiful nation on earth. A nation whose laws are harsh yet simple, a nation that never cheats, which is immense and without borders, where life is lived in the present."

0 funny, 0 helpful.

kalder says on Sep 24, 2007, 04:18:

goin_south
:D

"kalder- have you ever had a woman?"--Sam Salmon

0 funny, 0 helpful.

Simon says on Sep 24, 2007, 17:27:

"I didn't want to be the one to say it, but, well, ok, I will say it. most of my friends and family are, quite frankly, a bit amazed that I even go to Colombia, some of them are in tears of worry over it."


And I think you're friends are ignorant and/or bigoted. Hmmm, let me guess where they're from.

"DON'T FOK WITH COLOMBIA!!"-----Simon

0 funny, 0 helpful.

la campiña says on Sep 24, 2007, 19:53:

sssssssshhhhhhhhhhhhh great news, mexico numero uno , .... colombia is the best we all know that so lets just carry on regardless but quietly, its our private little secret, get me ?¿¿¿¿ saben nuff said aahh sanctuary dormir zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz

0 funny, 0 helpful.

christobeldawg says on Sep 24, 2007, 20:06:

they are maybe somewhat ignorant to the facts, after all, who can keep up with every country in the world, and Colombia has a questionable, to put it nicely reputation, but not bigoted. Simon, you sound like a potential bigot to rush to that rash a judgement of my friends\family.
I don't appreciate that.

admittedly, arriving can feel great too

0 funny, 0 helpful.