While the media often
portrays Mexico as the most dangerous place on earth, it is statistically quite
safe. According to NationMaster.com which uses U.N.-based data, Mexico doesn’t
even make the list of the 36 nations with the highest murder rates. Mild-mannered
nations like Sweden and Switzerland top Mexico for murders on
NationMaster.com.
Places we think of as
idyllic Caribbean retreats have double, triple, even quadruple the murder rates
of Mexico. Mexico's famous vacation areas are even safer than the averaged
statistics, and even safer still for tourists.
Mexico is safer than
many cities in the U.S.
More
than 150,000 Americans safely visit Mexico every day. And while the media
sensationalizes stories of violence in Mexico, Mexico is safer than many major
U.S. cities. Travelers feel relatively safe visiting popular U.S. cities like
Miami, Philadelphia, Chicago, New Orleans, Washington D.C, or Atlanta. Visitors
from around the world enjoy these vibrant cities in relative, reasonable
safety. Yet each of these cities is statistically less safe than Mexico.
Media Favoritism
versus Facts.
New
Orleans is beloved and its renaissance is showcased in the news. The FBI
reports the murder rate of New Orleans is declining, but it is nearly 4 times
higher than all of Mexico and over 5 times higher than Mexico City. New Orleans
is still an amazing place to visit and the Media is right to champion this
inspirational city. But Mexico is at least as remarkable and there is a
clear difference in how each of these storied destinations is portrayed in
contemporary news.
Every
city and country has places that are safe and dangerous. Mexico is no
exception. The areas that are dangerous should be avoided. And those that are
safe should be enjoyed and celebrated.
The U.S. State Department
in Washington issues warnings about Mexico, yet Washington D.C. is four times
more deadly than Mexico City. Washington’s murder rate has been cut almost in
half in the last 10 years, but it still averages 24 per 100,000 vs. only 8-9
per 100,000 in Mexico City. Mexico City is a cultural
treasure that is larger than New York, London or Paris. In fact, it is about
the same size as London and Paris combined.
the respected 2012
Prominix report and are the most accurate statistics available on this subject.
you
are statistically safer in Mexico than anywhere else in North America.
tourists and visitors are
statistically safer in Mexico and much less likely to be a victim of violent
crime than in the U.S., Canada and many other countries regarded as safe.
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