This question will never really go away will it. It is most unfortunate that the over-generalized inquiry; “Is it safe to go to Mexico?” requires the comparison of so many negative statistics. Travel, vacation, adventure; all of these words should conjure positive images of time spent with family and friends, exploring new sights and experiencing different cultures. Positive images of self discovery and awareness. Positive images that become treasured memories. Asking if it is safe to travel to Mexico is no different than asking if it is safe to travel to New York, or Detroit, or to the little store on the corner. What makes this question unfortunate is the grim statistics required to answer this question, when the answer is quite simple: Yes, it is safe to travel to Mexico.
Mexico is a very large country with a population of 112 million. Compared to the United States, Mexico covers one quarter of the size of the U.S, with the current population of the US estimated at 311 million. The question foreign tourists should be asking: “Is it safe to travel to the United States?” One quick look at the numbers gathered for 2011 clearly shows that the United States is the most dangerous country to visit. With 11,877,28 reported crimes in 2011, The U.S. ranked number one with the highest worldwide crime rate of any country. Mexico was ranked at number twelve, with 1,506,029 reported crimes. The 2012 World Fact Book (compiled by the CIA) ranks the U.S. at number 87 for annual deaths per one thousand people. Mexico is far below, ranking number 188 with 4.90 annual deaths per one thousand people. These are clearly broad figures that encompass a massive overall statistical average. These numbers can be defined even more closely.
The current travel warning issued by the US State Department only covers a small portion of Mexico. The areas of Mexico visitors are most likely to travel to, such as Rocky Point, Puerto Vallarta, Mazatlan and the Riviera Nayarit, are not even included in the original advisory. Of Mexico’s 31 states, the US warning against
