Trouble in the Borderlands
To Cross, or Not to Cross into
Mexico - That is the Question...
By Logan Hawkes
 As tens of thousands of Winter Texans prepare to return to the Lone Star State for another year of fun in the winter sun, some are left asking the question - "will it be safe to cross the Mexican border this year?"
Depending on who you ask, you're bound to get several different answers.
Amid reports of treacherous crimes directed against visiting Americans, some Mexican border cities, like Nuevo Laredo, have all but become ghost towns in terms of the number of cross-border visitors from Texas. And rightfully so perhaps.
Stories continue to filter out of Nuevo Laredo almost daily about gang wars and drug cartel conflicts, shoot outs in the middle of town and innocents who are caught in the middle of it all.
And it's not just the drug-driven crime lords and their corrupt goonies who are causing all the trouble. There's the problem of a corrupt police department and public officials, and the problem of poverty-stricken and recently unemployed Mexican workers who are desperate to find food and money to sustain their families.
Yet, public fear fuels the perception of danger, and in reality, there are many visitors who cross the border everyday and never experience any kind of trouble while shopping the many unique and colorful markets of Mexican border towns. There are still many tourists that filter across the border to dine at their favorite restaurants, to visit the Mexican pharmacies to refill their medical prescriptions, and to enjoy the culture and color that Mexico has to offer.
But be warned: Dangers do exist, and each time you venture into a border town, the concern for personal safety must be foremost in your mind. With the large outbreak of armed conflict between law enforcement and criminal elements, there's always the chance of finding yourself in the wrong place at the wrong time. In Nuevo Laredo, for example, machine gun fire and explosions from grenades have erupted in otherwise normal neighborhoods and business districts, at one point causing the American consulate to close his offices and direct his staff to cross back in to the United States as a safety measure and as a way to protest Mexican government tolerance of such incidents.
 While Mexican President Vicente Fox has allocated federal troops to Nuevo Laredo to help in the developing crisis there, it can't be truthfully said that the potential dangers to international visitors have improved any in recent weeks.
The large scale border violence that has become a regular occurrence along the U.S./Mexico border has hurt more than the sagging tourism industry. Conditions for Mexican nationals that live in these cities is apparently worsening. And while some of the government's efforts to improve conditions have made a positive impact, there are underlying and developing problems that seem to counter balance the measures.
 In the border city of Matamoras, across from Brownsville, for example, city officials have forced the removal of street vendors adjacent to the primary international bridge. The plan has resulted in opening up more open spaces to greet visitors coming across the bridge and is aesthetically pleasing, but it has displaced the Mexican vendors who are forced to move to other, generally less profitable neighborhoods, causing additional impact on unemployment rates and the ability of local citizens to maintain a level of sustenance. The result is more desperate locals who must find creative ways to make a living.
A few of them find it easier to turn to crime or to offer less legal services, further complicating existing problems for tourists and visitors.
As a frequent traveler of Mexico my advise would be simple: If you are truly afraid of crossing the border and fear for your personal welfare, then don't do it. It seems like crime victims are far too often the ones who believe they will become victims of trouble, much the same way a wounded animal becomes the most likely prey of a carnivorous predator.
If you feel "up to the challenge," I would recommend a few common sense tips to make your visit a safer and more enjoyable one:
 Cross the border in numbersStay in well lighted and high traffic areas
Stay in tourist sectors, don't venture into other areas
Don't carry large sums of cash, and distribute it well on your person
Consider leaving the credit/ATM card at home
Don't drive in border towns, take public taxis
Visit by day, avoid after dark
As far as what I personally think are the towns/cities you can safely visit and those you should avoid, my "don't go" list includes:
Nuevo Laredo
Juarez
Reynosa
Cities/towns that are on my safe (but watchful) list include:
Nuevo Progreso (Pharr)
Matamoras (Brownsville)
Piedras Negras (Eagle pass)
Ciudad Acuna (Del Rio)
Of course, being a lover of Big Bend National Park, one of my favorite Mexican border communities will always be Boquillas and Lajitas. But the U.S. Border Patrol is prohibiting Americans to cross (by row boat) to Boquillas, and it is said that Lajitas is full of drug barons. But then, I prefer my Mexico a little on the rough and rugged side. But I don't recommend going to either one if you aren't familiar with the regional culture!
Watch for updates periodically as we attempt to provide the latest coverage on whether you should or should not cross the border this winter season.
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