September 14, 2010 

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Happy Bicentennial/Centennial, Mexico!
Allan Wall - PVNN
September 13, 2010

Mexican Independence (Bicentennial Office of the Instituto Nacional de Estudios Historicos de las Revoluciones de Mexico)

The Mexican Revolution (Bicentennial Office of the Instituto Nacional de Estudios Historicos de las Revoluciones de Mexico)

Mexican Independence Day 2010 has almost arrived and this year it’s a special anniversary.

The year 2010 marks the dual Bicentennial (200-year anniversary) of Mexican Independence and the Centennial (100-year anniversary) of the Mexican Revolution. (In Mexican history the struggle for Independence and the conflict known as the Mexican Revolution are two separate historical periods, separated by almost a century.)

The public movement which eventually led to Mexico’s independence from Spain began on September 15th/16th of 1810. The Mexican Revolution began on the 20th of November of 1910. There is thus a curious convergence of anniversaries in Mexican history which, besides being a handy mnemonic device to help one remember, has produced this year’s dual anniversaries.

It’s been calculated that over 700 activities related to the Bicentennial/Centennial are being held this calendar year.

The Bicentennial/Centennial is being marked by various cultural, artistic and educational programs. There are ceremonies, conferences, radio shows and art exhibitions. Mexican television stations are broadcasting related programming, and highways are marked with Ruta 2010 signs indicating historical routes. The celebrations are even extending beyond Mexico’s borders as Mexican embassies and consulates host Bicentennial/Centennial programs in other countries. All in all, it’s a big celebration.

Mexico’s Independence Day is celebrated on September 15th and 16th. So this year the annual celebration becomes the heart of the Bicentennial.

On the night of September 15th the traditional Grito observance is held. Grito means "shout" or "cry." It commemorates the manner in which Miguel Hidalgo y Costilla, considered the father of Mexico, publicly initiated what became the Mexican independence movement, in 1810, in the town of Dolores (later renamed Dolores Hidalgo.)

Hidalgo, a priest, gathered the people in front of the church on the plaza, where he gave a speech and rang the bell (similar to our own Liberty Bell) and called the people to action.

In commemoration of Hidalgo’s original Grito, the time-honored tradition is for Mexicans to gather in plazas in cities large and small. There are speeches and performances. At 11:00 p.m., the mayor (or governor or president), on the balcony, waves a flag and shouts vivas in honor of Hidalgo and other Independence figures, and of course "Viva Mexico!" Then fireworks are detonated.

Since this year is the Bicentennial, the annual Grito held in the main Mexican Zocalo plaza is a big one.

Having so many people in one place implies certain security considerations, and these are being prepared for. Mexico City’s mayor Marcelo Ebrard has announced a drill on the 13th and 14th to prepare for the Grito on the night of the 15th.

The 16th of September is customarily the day of the Independence Day parade. There’s a big Independence Day parade in Mexico City, dominated by the Mexican military. So this year’s parade is the Bicentennial Parade.

For Mexican federal government employees, there are going to be some days off. Most of them only have to work Monday (the 13th) and Tuesday (the 14th). That means that federal employees (and students) get five days off.

It’s a time of celebration, it’s a time of education, and it’s also a time of reflection on Mexico’s history as an independent nation.

Mexican President Felipe Calderon delivered the Mexican State of the Union address on September 2nd, and he spoke about the Mexican Bicentennial/Centennial. Calderon said that "...with great emotion and patriotism, Mexicans celebrate the Bicentennial of Independence and the Centennial of the Revolution. Two hundred years ago, Miguel Hidalgo, Jose Maria Morelos y Pavon, and many more women and men dared to dream of an independent Mexico. One hundred years ago, Francisco I. Madero imagined a democratic Mexico, in which the citizens freely choose our leaders, and together with him a generation of revolutionaries fought and began to construct a democratic, fairer and more equitable Mexico. The Independence and the Revolution are foundational moments of the Mexico that we are today..."

"Mexico is a nation under construction. The Bicentennial and the Centennial are moments of unrivaled commemoration, that permit us to reflect as a people over what we have achieved and also what we still need to construct."

"Our generation is called not only to commemorate the past, but, especially, to transform the future. These unique commemorations are a valuable opportunity to confirm principles, to reunify Mexicans around the same objectives of legality, justice, liberty and democracy, and to advance in the transformation of Mexico."

In closing, I trust that our readers, wherever they may be, would join me in wishing the nation of Mexico a happy Bicentennial/Centennial. May it truly be a time for celebration, reflection and the construction of a prosperous Mexican future.

Allan Wall is an American citizen who has been teaching English in Mexico since 1991, and writing articles about various aspects of Mexico and Mexican society for the past decade. Some of these articles are about Mexico's political scene, history and culture, tourism, and Mexican emigration as viewed from south of the border, which you can read on his website at AllanWall.net.

Click HERE for more articles by Allan Wall.

Despite the ongoing rains, roads and highways are being cleared and the situation is improving in and around the small town of Sayulita. (photos by Jay Ailworth, Strange Bird Photography)

Related articles:
PEACE Relief for Banderas Bay Area Flood Victims
Banderas Bay Communities Ravaged by Rains
Hwy 200 Road Update and Area Flood Photos
Heavy Rains Wash Out San Pancho Bridge

Despite the stormy weather, the situation is improving in Sayulita and other small towns around Banderas Bay that have been ravaged by the recent, and ongoing, heavy rains

According to Suzanne Wilson, who has family living in Sayulita, electricity and water are functioning in some areas of Gringo Hill and just off the Punta de Mita Hwy in Sayulita. The lower lying areas along the river have suffered sever damage with water, electricity and sewer lines affected

Unofficial reports state that between 20 and 30 homes were washed out in Sayulita and many homes are filled with mud and debris. During the flood, the river appeared to have widened and changed course, resulting in many landowners losing land to the river

Runoffs are still flowing 20 to 30 mph in the river and nearby creeks. The road to Higuera Blanca, about 3 miles from Sayulita, lost about 150 meters due to erosion. Many homes in the ranches nearby were swept away and some livestock drowned

After another landslide at Km 130 on Highway 200 just before midnight on Thursday, the highway was closed overnight. It was re-opened around 8 am on Friday. Highway 200 is open, with 4 spots between Sayulita and Bucerias where the road is limited to one lane. Reports state that traffic is flowing quite well despite the complications

Sayulita has more than one entrance into town off the Punta de Mita Hwy just at the beginning of town and they are open. Some restaurants are open, like Chocobanana, and a few other stores are also servicing the local people. Early this afternoon, water service was restored in downtown Sayulita

Heavy machinery is clearing the roads in Sayulita, but there is a need for cleanup crews in town; volunteer labor is welcome. Local volunteers are planning a beach clean-up for Saturday morning, weather permitting.

Source: PVPulse.comlse.com

A Stobbs' challenge for flood relief help

Jaltemba Bay Angel Project - Community Challenge

o Donate Just $10.00 US or CAD dollars

As everyone knows, San Pancho was hit very hard by the flooding; and it seems that Sayulita was also hit very hard - both need funding for food, water, shelter, emergency supplies etc....

Lets say that the community of Jaltemba Bay has a population of ~ 10,000 people including FT & PT residents, and tourists...

If just 10% of us donate say just $10.00 that would be $10,000.00 USD/CAD going to help communities in need...

Sayulita Life and Entre Amigos have both set up easy, secure systems which allow one to donate $10.00, on thier web sites. Simple, fast, secure and easy to do; even if you are not here.

I just donated $10.00 USD and my challenge to all is to match or beat my $10.00

Here are the links for the web sites

http://www.prosayulita.org/home.aspx

http://entreamigos.org.mx/get-involved/make-a-donation/

Please Note:
For entre amigos one needs to state it is for flood relief.

     Park of Angels a Reality

                           © Tara A. Spears

From the dream to its inception, local business woman and mother, Mateja Mikunda, has worked tirelessly to build a playground for children in Guayabitos. The Park of Angels is now open for use. “I could not have accomplished this without the help of many generous people,” said Mateja, “now the park is about 80% complete.”  The community of Colonia La Colmena, where the children’s park is located, is on the east side of highway 200 just south of the Pemex gas station.

The original land is bordered by the baseball field on the west and two dirt roads on the other sides. “When designing the park, in order to make the playground safe and useable all year round, including the rainy season, I decided to raise the playground above the street level and enclose it with fencing. The border between the baseball field and play area has a ‘see through’ section to enable parents to watch both older children playing baseball and younger children at the same time” explains Mateja.  “I also insisted on three exits for safety reasons.”  Visiting the park after record setting rainfall, this author noted the wisdom of the raised design: the playground was water-free and useable hours before streets and yards would be. Mateja said it was worth the expense of adding 18 large truckloads of pea gravel to the playground. If you notice the brick wall/fencing in the pictures below, Mateja plans to add painted murals with fun juvenile characters that will appeal to young children to enhance the area. Individuals or companies that wish to donate or sponsor a wall section painting should contact Mateja for details at 322-147-6383 or email: matejasmexico@hotmail.com.  

The last phase of the park construction includes adding bathrooms, additional play equipment, a water pump, garbage collection, trees, benches, and lighting. Donations and sponsors are still needed to accomplish this goal. Watch the community calendar on Jaltembasol.com for the upcoming fundraisers at Mateja’s.  As one of the residents of the neighborhood, Guillermo, said, “This park was really needed. It is wonderful to finally have a safe place for the children to play that isn’t in the streets.”  Without Mateja’s vision and effort, this park could not have been achieved- thanks, Mateja! 

Drop off Donations for 2 Sisters’ Conalep Tuition

At Petra’s Deli and Don Pedro’s Market

Kalina Itzel and Daiana Monserrat Aguirre lost their mother earlier this week to a stroke. Both sisters are excellent students at Conalep but without financial help due to the unexpected death of their mother on Tuesday, they will not be able to enroll. Older sister, Daiana, with a 9.7 out of 10 grade point average, is in her final year. Local residents and business have rallied to help the girls stay in school.

Headline News

Weary of drug war, Mexico weighs legalization

The debate will only grow more fevered if California residents back a proposal to make pot legal there. A debate about legalizing marijuana and possibly other drugs -- once a taboo suggestion -- is percolating in Mexico, a nation exhausted by runaway violence and a deadly drug war. The debate is only likely to grow more animated if Californians approve an initiative on Nov. 2 to legalize marijuana for recreational use in their state….go to original article

Mexico's golf and surf paradise

"If the tide pushes up, punch it," said my seafaring golf guide, Arturo Castro, one early July day in Punta Mita. The statement could've just as easily been uttered a few miles down the coast at Castro's favorite surf spot, La Lancha, while helping this visiting surfista negotiate the unfamiliar elements. But at this moment the head pro was speaking of my golf cart, which was straddling an 8-foot wide cobblestone isthmus leading to the green of hole 3B at Punta Mita's Pacifico course — known as the world's only island green carved from natural topography….go to original article

Car Loaded With Explosives Disabled In Mexico

Mexican police used a controlled explosion early on Saturday to eliminate the threat from a car packed with explosives in this violent city near the border with the United States, local officials said. Local police responding to a call late on Friday that a person had been executed in an industrial sector of Ciudad Juarez discovered a car full of explosives near the body, federal police said in a statement. ….go to original article

U.S. Backs $1B Loan to Mexico for Oil Drilling Despite Obama Moratorium

Despite President Obama's moratorium on U.S. deepwater drilling in the Gulf of Mexico, the U.S. Export-Import Bank intends to guarantee $1 billion in loans to PEMEX, the Mexican state oil company, to bolster the company's oil drilling in the region.

The bank, which is the official American export credit agency, loaned more than $1 billion to PEMEX in 2009 -- when the company was the bank's largest borrower -- in support of its drilling activities. That year, the bank also guaranteed two loans totaling $300 million made by a commercial lender….go to original article

U.S. weapons fuel drug violence, Mexico's president says

As Mexico approaches its bicentennial, Mexico's president says his country is fighting significant security problems -- many of which are fueled by U.S. policies.

"We live next to the world's largest drug consumer, and all the world wants to sell them drugs through our door and our window. And we live next to the world's largest arms seller, which is supplying the criminals," Mexican President Felipe Calderon told CNN en Español Friday…..go to original article

President sending mayor to Mexico for Diez y Séis

San Antonio Mayor Julián Castro will be part of a White House delegation selected by President Barack Obama to attend a celebration in Mexico City next week marking Mexico's 200th anniversary of its independence from Spain, officials said Friday.

Mexico also is celebrating the 100th anniversary of the Mexican Revolution this year…..go to original article

Mexico Lashes Out at U.S. Immigration Practices

Mexican President Felipe Calderon said in an interview Friday that last month’s massacre of 72 migrants doesn't undermine Mexico's moral authority to demand better treatment for its own migrants. "Of course we have the moral authority, because Mexican officials are not shooting Central American youths at the border, but U.S. agents are shooting Mexican migrants," Calderon said in an interview with the Spanish-language Univision network…..go to original article

Mass jail break in northern Mexico

At least 85 prisoners have escaped from a jail in northern Mexico, close to the border with the United States. Inmates used ladders to scale the fence of the prison at Reynosa in Tamaulipas state before dawn on Friday. …go to original article

Cat tells workers to leave Mexico

Caterpillar Inc. is telling its American employees in Mexico, particularly those with children, to return to the United States because of escalating violence there, the company said Thursday. About 40 American employees of Caterpillar facilities in Mexico, including in Monterrey, are affected by the company's order. Those employees all are salaried or management, said company spokesman Jim Dugan….go to original article

Top celebrities with roots in Mexico

Mexico's cultural contributions to the world aren't limited to spicy food and picturesquely crumbling ancient cities. Here's our short list of top Mexican celebrities. …go to original article

Mexico Property Bargains Attracting More Investors

Although its fortunes are closely linked with the US, Mexico's real estate mostly held its own during the latest US market crash due to supply and demand balance. Property bargains in Mexico are attracting buyers who have invested nearly $300 million in a Prudential fund for industrial real estate, but experts warn that prices could fall further or remain suppressed. See the following article from Property Wire for more on this.

The commercial real estate market in Mexico has remained remarkably stable in the face of the downturn  in the US economy following the global financial crisis of late 2008, a new report shows. …go to original article

Mexico digitalizes TV for wireless space

Mexico wants to auction more spectrum for wireless communications, including 4G standard, and boost competition in the TV market as it frees up capacity by digitalizing television.

In a decree published in Mexico's official gazette on Thursday, President Felipe Calderon ordered to free up the 700 MHz band -- currently used by broadcasters Televisa, TV Azteca and other regional companies -- by 2012, the year he concludes his administration.

The transition will allow Mexico to "offer more and better services, because (700 MHz) is a band apt for 4G mobile and Internet," Calderon said….go to original article

Tropical storm Hermine threatens Mexico, Texas

Tropical storm Hermine has formed in the Gulf of Mexico and warnings have been issued from Tampico, Mexico to the Baffin Bay on the south Texas coast, the National Hurricane Center said on Monday.Hermine, the eighth tropical storm of the season, carried maximum sustained winds of 40 mph was located about 190 miles east-southeast of Tampico, Mexico. it was moving north at 8 mph…..go to original article

Guanajuato, Mexico, where Old World still lingers

In the City Made from Silver, the Basilica is a bright gold, bistro table tops are hammered copper and the Spanish balconies are black iron. At the moment, however, I'm just trying to climb a twisty stone street without being flattened by Toyota steel.

Life is elemental in Guanajuato, a slice of 17th century Spain dropped into central Mexico, where one of the richest silver mines in history filled Spanish coffers and built the remote village into a pocket-size metropolis of Baroque churches, welcoming European plazas, a classic opera house and, apparently, medieval street planning…..go to original article

Third migrant survived Mexico massacre, El Salvador's president says

San Salvador, El Salvador (CNN) -- A third migrant survived a massacre that left 72 dead in a Mexican border state, and could play a key role in authorities' investigation of the crime, El Salvador's president said.

"He is already in the United States and fortunately avoided being killed," President Mauricio Funes told reporters Sunday as the remains of 11 Salvadorans who were killed in last month's massacre were returned to their families in a somber ceremony…..go to original article

Mexican paramedics run the gauntlet of gang wars in quest to save lives

Ambulance crews continue to aid victims of drugs violence despite their members being threatened and attacked

Ambulance crews and paramedics have learnt to distinguish between the handiwork of professional assassins and amateur gunmen from the carnage of crime scenes in Ciudad Juárez.

When an experienced hitman – a sicario – has done his job well, victims have no need of medical attention, said Benito Miranda, 30, an ambulance crew member. "He knows the key points in the body to kill immediately. All we find is a corpse."….go to original article

UPDATE 2-Mexico consumer confidence climbs in August

* August consumer confidence at 88.7 from 87.4

* Analysts had expected a drop to 87.0

* Consumers see improved economy; worry about future (Recasts, adds bullet points, byline)

The economic outlook of Mexicans unexpectedly brightened in August but concerns remain as the country struggles out of a deep recession, a consumer survey showed on Friday….go to original article

Mexico Speeds Up Digital-TV Transition, Will Compete With Grupo Televisa

Mexico will accelerate its transition to digital-television broadcasts, boosting competition against Grupo Televisa SA and freeing up airwaves that can be used for high-speed wireless Internet access.

The transition will begin next year and will be complete in 2015, six years earlier than planned, President Felipe Calderon said today in Mexico City. In a presidential order published today, he told government officials to begin preparing Mexicans for the transition by assuring that digital tuners will be imported and sold at fair prices….go to original articles

Carlos Slim's Telmex Plans to Quadruple Internet Service Speeds in Mexico

Telefonos de Mexico SAB, the telephone company controlled by billionaire Carlos Slim, is planning to quadruple Internet speeds for some parts of the country to as much as 20 megabits per second…..go to original article

Mexico`s Tourism Sector Sees Tremendous Growth Despite a Lagging World Economy

Tuesday, August 31, 2010

The number of international tourists reaching Mexico by air experienced a 35.2 percent increase in June 2010 compared with the same month last year marking an impressive first half of the year for the Mexico tourism industry.

During the same period, 818,278 tourists from different nationalities visited Mexico, versus 605,435 who visited in June 2009. Of those, some 573,016 travelers arrived by air from the United States, representing a 23.7 percent growth over June 2009. Even more impressive are the 41,184 tourists that arrived from Canada; 21,322 more than in June 2009 - a whopping increase of 107.4 percent…..go to original article

Mexico's Anthropology Specialists Identify Name of Maya Ruler

MEXICO CITY.- The name of a Maya ruler that did not appear in the dynastic line of the ancient city of Tonina was recently identified by specialists from the National Institute of Anthropology and History (INAH) based on hieroglyphs found on a sculptural fragment. This is the fourteenth ruler registered in the city that was enemy of Palenque.
Epigraphist Carlos Pallan Gayol, director of the INAH Maya Hieroglyphic and Iconographic Heap (AJIMAYA) explained that the fragment of stone contains inscriptions that read the name K’awiil, seignior of Po’, as the ancient city of Tonina was originally denominated, word that may mean “white” in the ancient Zoque-Mixteca language…..go to original article

Frida Kahlo and Diego Rivera to be reunited on Mexican bill

The Bank of Mexico said Monday it would place in circulation a new 500-peso bill featuring the well-known faces of two of the country's best-known artists, Diego Rivera and Frida Kahlo. In the bank's official video to promote the bill's anti-counterfeiting features  two figures resembling the celebrity couple stroll in costume around traditional and modern sites in Mexico….go to original article

Suzanne Stephens Waller - Presidencia de la República
go to original
September 06, 2010

 

President Calderón, accompanied by his wife Margarita Zavala, led the inauguration of 'Mexico 200 Years, a Nation under Construction.'

As part of the celebration of the Bicentennial of National Independence and the Centennial of the Start of the Mexican Revolution, Federal Government, through the Executive Coordination of the National Organizing Commission of the 2010 Commemorations presented at major exhibition entitled "Mexico 200 Years" at the National Palace Gallery in Mexico City.

The main objective is to celebrate 200 years of Mexico as an independent nation, proposing a setting comprised of hundreds of emblematic pieces showing how our identity and sovereignty is created and defended on a daily basis.

The temporary exhibition presents a historical, artistic visual and documentary discourse that will be open from September 2010 to July 2011 from Tuesday to Sunday, admission free.

To this end, 6,000 square meters have been set aside within the National Palace, distributed throughout various spaces and halls within the most symbolic monument in Mexico and above all, Mexico City. Through the collections, the visitor will be able to enjoy a compilation of the two hundred years of Mexico from Independence to the present, represented by works of art and everyday objects belonging to some of the most representative figures in our history.

The exhibition will enable the public to view the President's Halls for the first time. They will also be able to visit the Parliamentary Area and the murals painted by Diego Rivera, recently restored for the occasion, the Museum in Honor of Juárez and the Palace libraries. Signs will indicate the broad range of cultural features available to the public.

The exhibition comprises over 500 historical and artistic pieces; paintings, sculptures, engravings, manuscripts, original documents, printed matter, coins, clothes, textiles, weapons, photographs and furniture. Some of the most representative pieces include: the Certificate of Independence (original), Father Miguel Hidalgo's chrismatory, José María Morelos' Los Sentimientos de la Nación, the Insurgent Troops’ standard from 1810 to 1813, José María Morelos’ sabre, Miguel Hidalgo’s certificate of excommunication, Benito Juárez’s Presidential Chair, objects to commemorate the Centenary of National Independence, General Emiliano Zapata’s flag, the Political Constitutions of Mexico and The Presidential Succession in 1910 a book signed by Francisco I. Madero, among other works.

Throughout the tour, visitors will find chronologies, graphs, biographies and technological audio and video features that will provide information complementing the pieces. Recreations of the Independence period and the end of the 19th century have also been built.

Veteranos Soccer Field

Wed., Sept. 15 - Sat., Sept. 18, 2010

In Los Ayala's Town Plaza for a series of events & celebration of

Mexico's 200th ANNIVERSARY of Independence Day...

For further details please refer to

http://www.losayalalife.com/upcoming_events.html

Mexico, Central America Struggle Through Deadly Rainy Season
Daniel Hernandez - Los Angeles Times
go to original
September 09, 2010

A woman wades with her child down a flooded street in Villahermosa. About 600,000 have been displaced in southeastern Mexico. (Gilberto Villasana/AFP/Getty Images)

In Mexico, 600,000 have been displaced by flooding in five southeastern states. The search for 15 still missing in a Guatemala mudslide is called off because of the risk.

Mexico City — Heavy rainfall has set off deadly mudslides and widespread flooding across Central America and Mexico's southeast, killing more than 50 people and displacing more than half a million.

In Guatemala, rescuers citing the possibility of more slides called off the search for 15 people who remained missing after a highway mudslide Sunday killed 45.

In Mexico, the Red Cross said more than 600,000 have been displaced in five states as several rivers flooded towns and villages, mostly in the states of Veracruz and Tabasco. Seven people have reportedly died.

Many residents of the affected regions are refusing to leave their homes.

"This has been an extraordinarily different and extraordinarily rainier year than any other," President Felipe Calderon said this week while visiting Tabasco's flood-threatened capital, Villahermosa. Calderon said recent anti-flooding measures have helped but that "more must be done."

Guatemalan President Alvaro Colom declared a state of emergency and a period of national mourning, saying that in "102 days of aggression from climate change," 253 Guatemalans have died and hundreds of thousands have been displaced.

Guatemala was still recovering from Tropical Storm Agatha, which killed 165 people in May. The current rainy season has been called the heaviest in the country in 60 years.

Deaths related to heavy rainfall this season have also been reported in El Salvador, Honduras, and Nicaragua.

Guatemala's government said festivities celebrating independence on Wednesday, particulary traditional torch processions along highways, would be canceled or muted because of the mudslide.

Hernandez is a staff writer in The Times' Mexico City Bureau.

Mariachi music goes beyond entertainment; it embodies the unique Mexican culture, spirit, and traditions. Originating in Jalisco, today this popular grassroots music encompasses the essence of all Mexico and its people. The month long Guadalajara music and arts festival is a must-see event that promises to be even more spectacular this year as the country celebrates its bicentennial. The first series of performances, The International Mariachi Festival of Guadalajara, runs from August 23 through September 11. There are numerous parades with hundreds of mariachi floats, folk ballet dancers, rodeos, and art exhibits besides the ubiquitous street vendors with delicious traditional Mexican cuisine. This year the mariachis will also perform in churches and cathedrals during masses. The world’s largest mariachi competition, with 500 mariachi bands, is staged at the beautiful Benito Juarez Theatre, with many other concerts held in city parks and at various concert halls. ...Go here (page 3) for complete article

United States State Departments Warnings

September 10, 2010

The Department of State has issued this Travel Warning to inform U.S. citizens traveling to and living in Mexico about the security situation in Mexico.  The status of authorized departure of family members of U.S. government personnel from U.S. Consulates in the northern Mexico border cities of Tijuana, Nogales, Ciudad Juarez, Nuevo Laredo, Monterrey and Matamoros ended on September 10 following the expiration of the maximum 180 day period.  Based upon a security review in Monterrey following the shooting on August 20, 2010, in front of the American Foundation School in Monterrey and the high incidence of kidnappings in the Monterrey area, U.S. government personnel from the Consulate General have been advised that the immediate, practical and reliable way to reduce the security risks for all children is to remove them from Monterrey.  As of September 10, 2010, the Consulate General in Monterrey is a partially unaccompanied post, meaning no minor dependents of U.S. government employees are permitted to remain in the city.  This Travel Warning supersedes the Travel Warning for Mexico dated August 27, 2010 to note the lifting of Authorized Departure status for U.S. Consulates along the U.S.-Mexico border.  

Click here to view the entire story

Road Report – Happy Trails to Your Place in the Sun

(Editors Note: We have been inundated with letters regarding the following article and have had hundreds of requests to be put on a mailing list for future articles. We intend to do this very soon.

Obviously safety in Mexico is a very big concern right now and we take it very seriously. We intend to do some concerted writing and will have many articles posted that may help you with your decisions and the routes you wish to take down to paradise. In the interim we have a very rough skeleton of a blog that we will be adding to shortly. Click here to go to the Mexico Highway Travel road blog

By Bill and Dorothy Bell

Carole Thacker of the La Penita Trailer Park requested that we give a concise road report regarding safety and driving to the West Coast of Mexico. We are writing a major article that will be published shortly, however many of you need advise now. If you wish to be put on our mailing list for this article, please write editor@jaltembasol.com and ask us to ensure that it is mailed to you.

This summer we have driven thousands of miles updating our Mexico Road Logs and Mexico RV and driving website www.ontheroadin.com. We have touched on all but three of Mexico’s 31 states this summer alone, and while there are many new changes that we have seen on the road, we have not personally witnessed or experienced anything different regarding safety than we have seen in previous years.

We understand many of your concerns about driving and vacationing in Mexico. The US and Canadian government has issued travel warnings and the media has certainly had a hay day reporting many of the grisly details of the current drug cartel situation. There has been acceleration in murders in Mexico in the last two years, but by all accounts the rise has been attributed to drug turf wars and the government’s crackdown on these criminals. We do not believe that there has been any increase in murders or violence toward tourists.

The border cities have always been problematic and crime ridden. Other areas become “hotspots” for a few years and the violence then passes and changes to another community. Things have not changed in this regard over the 20+ years we have been road travelers through Mexico.

We travelled the length of the West coast from Nogales to Guatemala, the length and breadth of the Baja, as well as the diagonal route from Laredo to Guadalajara. We have also scooted around Mexico City and routed along the gulf coast around the Yucatan and through the highlands of Chiapas. We went to campgrounds in small towns and large cities and spoke to the locals about violence and the “situation.”

At the time of this report, the border traffic is very light, roads are clear and even the severe flooding in and around Monterrey (bridge and road repairs are well underway) should not deter your travel to your second home in la Penita.

Having completed this experience our base, 20 year old advice still stands:

1)      Drive early and stop early

2)      Never drive at night

3)      Get far away from the borders as soon as you can

4)      Don’t boon dock

5)      Travel with others if possible

We have always taught that you shouldn’t let your guard down as Mexico is a 3^rd world and developing country. In reality we understand how easy it is to become relaxed and easy going in this charming and enchanting country. We think it is time to reevaluate lax behaviors, pay close attention to travel precautions and stay on the straight and narrow.

WE WOULD NOT LET THE CURRENT DRUG WAR VIOLENCE DETER US FROM TRAVEL AT THIS TIME. If you wish to travel with a friend or other RV, stay tuned. We are currently creating a Mexico Road Report Board where you and others can hook up before crossing the border.  Click here to go to the Mexico Highway Travel road blog

If you wish to be put on our mailing list for a more detailed article about Mexico Road Safety, please write editor@jaltembasol.com and we will ensure it is mailed to you.

Dorothy and Bill Bell have lectured about Mexico Road and RV travel in colleges, RV Shows and private seminars throughout Western Canada and the US. They have travelled to all 31 states over a dozen times and are considered experts on road travel in this amazing country. Visit www.ontheroadin.com to view photos and articles about Mexico.

Tom A. Peter - Christian Science Monitor
go to original
September 09, 2010

Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton speaks at the Council on Foreign Relations in Washington, Wednesday, Sept. 8. During her remarks, Secretary Clinton referred to the Mexican drug war as an 'insurgency.' (Alex Brandon/AP)

Secretary of State Hillary Clinton’s comparison of the Mexico drug war to an 'insurgency' comes as the US is deciding if it will increase assistance to Mexico to combat the drug trade.

For the first time a senior American official has compared the Mexico drug war to an “insurgency” akin to the situation in Colombia in the 1980s, sparking tensions with Mexican officials who reject the comparison.

“[W]e face an increasing threat from a well-organized network, drug-trafficking threat that is, in some cases, morphing into or making common cause with what we would consider an insurgency, in Mexico and in Central America,” Secretary of State Hillary Clinton said at an event hosted by the Council on Foreign Relations on Wednesday. “It's looking more and more like Colombia looked 20 years ago.”

The BBC reported today that "comparisons have been made before between Colombia of the 1980s and Mexico today with regards to drug-trafficking. But never before has a senior member of the US administration made such an explicit comparison."

The United States has long expressed concerns about the worsening security situation south of its border as a result of the Mexico drug war, which has cost 28,000 lives since 2006 and long worried US politicians who fear it could migrate north.

Mexico’s security spokesman Alejandro Poire acknowledged that there are “some similarities” to Colombia. But Mr. Poire also said “there’s a big difference between what Colombia faced back then and what we are facing right now," Euronews reported. He added that America’s demand for illegal drugs is the root cause of Mexico’s problems. He also pointed to US guns trafficked to Mexican drug cartels as a serious concern.

The secretary of state’s speech came as the US is trying to decide if it will increase assistance to Mexico to combat the drug trade, leading to speculation that Washington is pushing to increase its presence in Mexico. Washington's three-year, $1.4 billion Merida Initiative to combat drug trafficking ends this year.

Among Mexican officials, there are serious concerns that Clinton’s remarks may be trying to lay the foundation for a US intervention in Mexico not unlike Plan Colombia. Under that anti-drug program, the US sent military forces to work with the Colombian army to break up drug cartels. The program has cost the US $7 billion and is widely controversial in Latin America.

“Whoever thinks Colombia is a cure-all, and if the United States thinks it is necessary to apply the same model to us they applied to Colombia, they are mistaken,” Mexican Senator Ricardo Monreal was quoted saying in the Guardian. He added that US assistance to Colombia had not brought an end to the drug trade there.

The Christian Science Monitor has reported that Colombia could provide helpful lessons to Mexico on how to combat its drug war. The Monitor reported in January that:

As Mexico struggles to contain ever-more-powerful traffickers, analysts say it could adopt lessons from Colombia. No one is claiming that Colombia has vanquished its drug cartels or stopped them from corrupting government officials. But its practices may provide a useful guide to Mexico’s own battles. For example, says Edgardo Buscaglia, an organized-crime expert and professor at Mexico’s Autonomous Institute of Technology, Colombia has gone after the drug lords – and their assets. “Regardless of how many thousands of organized crime members you detain, the end result will always be determined by how much of the economic structure of organized crime you destroy,” he says. “This is exactly what you’ve seen in Colombia in the past five years.… In Mexico, nothing like that has even started.”

Meanwhile, US frustration has been mounting as authorities allege that corruption is a major hurdle in working with their Mexican counterparts to curtail the drug trade. In the Los Angeles Times today, Alonzo Pena, deputy director of US Immigration and Customs Enforcement, said Mexican authorities do not always act on intelligence provided to them by the US. Though Mexican law enforcement agencies may not always be responsive to such leads due to a more cautious approach, Mr. Pena says that often times the delay is “completely corruption” at work.

Clinton’s remarks came on a grim day for Mexico as armed gunmen killed Alexander Lopez Garcia, mayor of El Nranjo in northern Mexico, reported Al Jazeera today. He is the third Mexican mayor killed within a month. The town is next to the restive state of Tamaulipas, which was the scene of the drug-related killing of 72 migrants in August.

Lightning Punctuates the Dog Days of Tropical Summer

©Tara A. Spears

In August and September the conditions are optimal for the formation of thunderstorms and lightning strikes. Lightning is a form of electrical discharge between clouds or between clouds and the ground. The discharge may take place between two parts of the same cloud, between two clouds or between a cloud and the ground. Thunder is the sound waves produced by the explosive heating of the air and the lightning channel during the return. While it is gorgeous to watch on hot summer nights, lightning can be deadly. Visitors from northern latitudes- that don’t have lightning- are usually unaware of the hazards and therefore do not take precautions. Mexico has the highest number of lightning fatalities, averaging 223 each year. 70% of all lightning strikes occur in the afternoon or early evenings, so plan your outdoor activities accordingly. Most lightning deaths and injuries occur when people are caught outdoors during the summer months. Lightning seeks the path of least resistance. If you are taller than your surroundings, or are standing next to a tall object (such as a tree or palapa), you are a prime target for a lightning strike.

Lightning Specifics:

Voltage in a cloud to ground strike is 100 million to one billion volts; most lightning strikes occur either at the beginning or at the end of a storm; the average lightning strike is six miles long; lightning reaches 50,000 degrees Fahrenheit, about four times as hot as the sun’s surface!

You can’t change nature but you can reduce your chances of being struck by recognizing the early approach of a lightning storm.  Avoiding exposure to strikes is the best defense. All outdoor activities such as swimming, golfing, hiking, should be stopped and you should seek shelter when the lightning is within 6 miles. Wait a minimum of 30 minutes for this storm to pass before going outdoors again.  According to Dr. Robert Allen, D.O., with the United States Air Force, if you are outdoors and caught unawares by a storm, follow these steps:

Avoid high ground, water, solitary trees, open spaces, metallic objects. Search for low ground, ditches, or trenches. If the low spot contains water or if the ground is saturated, then find clumps of shrubbery or trees that all of uniform height.

Remove all metal objects, bracelets, watches, rings, if possible. It is best to crouch down on the balls of your feet with your hands over your ears. There should be at least 20 feet between you and other people. Do not all huddle together in a group.

If you are in a fully enclosed metal automobile, seek refuge with all the windows rolled up and your hands in your lap.

Avoid all metal shelters and sun shelters. If golfing, put down the clubs and get off the golf course. People fishing should put down the rods and return to shore.

Stop all bicycles and motorcycles and get away from them.

How to handle lightning victims:

Seek medical attention as soon as possible. If necessary, begin CPR. Make sure before doing CPR that the person is absolutely not breathing or there is no heart rate before starting resuscitation. Victims DO NOT retain an electrical charge. They are safe to handle. Check for burns along the extremities and strike areas. Treat the burns the same as other types of burns. Very common after effects of personal lightning strike include: metallic taste in the mouth, disorientation, numbness, short term impaired eyesight and loss of hearing.

Consider Indoors Safety Measures

According to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration's (NOAA) National Weather Service, besides the outdoor procedures, there are indoor lightning safety measures that apply. Bolts can be conducted into a building through tree roots, telephone lines, water pipes, electrical wires, cable TV lines, computers, steel reinforcement rods and concrete.  It has the power to tear through roofs, explode walls of brick and concrete, start fires and destroy valuable electronic components. Knowing these facts, it is wise to stay out of the bathtub or shower, avoid contact with piping, including sinks, baths and faucets, and have your electronics unplugged during a storm. Unplug your electronics before a thunderstorm, as wide-screen TVs, multiple computers and other devices are costly to replace after lightning fries them. Not using the telephone except for an emergency is also a good precaution.

Following basic safety guidelines can greatly reduce your chances of injury or death from lightning. The NOAA suggests watching for the warning signs of high winds, rain and darkening clouds. While many lightning deaths happen at the beginning of an approaching storm, more than 50 percent of lightning deaths occur after the thunderstorm has passed, says NOAA. That's why it offers the "30/30 Rule" for personal safety: If it takes less than 30 seconds after you see lightning to hear the thunder, you should get indoors and stay there for 30 minutes. Your chances of being struck by lightning are estimated to be 1 in 600,000, according to NOAA so living in a lighting zone simply requires a few lifestyle modifications for safety.   I’ve happily lived with lightning storms for twenty years without mishap by following the above guidelines.

Captured Mexico Drug Kingpin 'The Barbie' Says in Video He Knew Top Capos, Transported Cocaine
Mark Stevenson & Paul J. Weber - Associated Press
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September 01, 2010

Texas-born fugitive Edgar Valdez Villarreal, alias "the Barbie," center, is presented to the press in Mexico City, Tuesday Aug. 31, 2010. Valdez, the third major suspected drug lord to fall in Mexico in the past 10 months, is wanted in the United States for allegedly smuggling tons of cocaine and inside Mexico and is blamed for a brutal turf war that has included bodies hung from bridges, decapitations and shootouts as he and a rival fought for control of the divided Beltran Leyva cartel. (Associated Press)

Mexico City — A former Texas high school football player and petty street dealer who allegedly rose to become one of Mexico's most savage assassins says he personally knew the country's top drug lords, shipped cocaine from Colombia through Panama and had a film made about his exploits.

In a video released by Mexico's federal police, Edgar Valdez Villarreal, known as "the Barbie" for his fair complexion and green eyes, told his interrogators that he transported cash hidden in trailers and spent $200,000 to make a film based on his life.

The flamboyant suspect — he once owned a bar in Acapulco called "XXXoticas" — decided not to release the movie because it might reveal too much information about him.

Authorities described him as a drug hit man who went on to become a major trafficker who shipped a ton of cocaine a month and thought he would never be caught.

Instead, with his arrest Monday, Valdez became the third major drug lord brought down by Mexico in less than a year. The 37-year-old Valdez faces charges in three U.S. states for trucking in tons of cocaine.

"I have work ... investments, there in Colombia," he said, laughing, on the tape that was broadcast late Tuesday and provided to news organizations, including The Associated Press.

When asked if he worked in drugs, he replied yes.

U.S. prosecutors say Valdez has been the source of tons of cocaine smuggled into the United States.

The arrest was portrayed by the Mexican and U.S. governments as a victory for President Felipe Calderon, who is trying to recover public support for his war on organized crime in the face of escalating violence.

Authorities also said Valdez could provide intelligence on other top traffickers, including Sinaloa chief Joaquin "El Chapo" Guzman, Mexico's most-wanted drug lord.

Valdez told interrogators that he knew the principal leaders of the drug cartels, such as Guzman, the brothers Arturo and Hector Beltran Leyva, Ismael "El Mayo" Zambada and Jose Gerardo "El Indio" Alvarez, whom he called his friend.

During the video, Valdez sometimes looked up and laughed. He constantly wiped sweat with a tissue or shirt sleeve, though he did not look nervous.

Local media also showed a video from inside the three-level residence where he was arrested, including paintings of religious subjects, horses and flowers, Gucci and Cartier boxes, big-screen TVs, a pool table and a bar.

Mexican police said they chased Valdez across five Mexican states for a year, a pursuit that intensified in recent months as they raided home after home owned by the drug lord, missing him but nabbing several of his allies.

His arrest also yielded computers, telephones and other equipment authorities said would likely provide more information about his group.

Valdez's presentation before the media Tuesday coincided with an announcement that Colombian authorities had detained 11 people allegedly linked to the Mexican kingpin in that South American cocaine-producing country. Mexican Federal Police Commissioner Facundo Rosas said the arrests were likely related, with Colombian authorities taking advantage of a break in his organization.

As a U.S. citizen living illegally in Mexico, Valdez could be deported to the United States if Mexico agrees, or he could face prosecution in Mexico for drug-related crimes. Mexican authorities say he could be responsible for dozens of murders.

Born in the border city of Laredo, Texas, Valdez grew up in a middle-class subdivision popular with Border Patrol agents, police officers and firefighters. His father was a nightclub and bar owner.

The former Laredo United High School linebacker became a small-time street dealer as a teen, before rising to become the head of a group of assassins for Mexico's notorious Beltran Leyva gang, allied with the powerful Sinaloa cartel, according to U.S. and Mexican officials.

After leaving Texas for Mexico, Valdez quickly rose through the ranks of the Beltran Leyva cartel, police say. He was anointed head of Acapulco operations by cartel leader Arturo Beltran Leyva after serving as the drug kingpin's top bodyguard, Rosas said.

In Mexico, Valdez built up a life of luxury, with homes in the most expensive neighborhoods of Mexico City. Valdez said in the tape that he commissioned a movie on his life and invested $200,000 in it, but it was never released.

"He was flamboyant, he felt like he was untouchable," said a senior U.S. law enforcement official, who wasn't authorized to speak on the record.

That life started to crumble as Mexican law enforcement took on the Beltran Leyva gang. Two years ago, a widespread corruption probe toppled the cartel's top government protectors, including Mexico's former drug czar.

The biggest coup came in December, when Mexican marines killed cartel lord Arturo Beltran Leyva during a gunbattle in Cuernavaca.

That unleashed a gruesome fight between Valdez and Beltran Leyva's brother, Hector, the only one of the cartel's founders who was still at large. Decapitated and dismembered bodies littered the streets of Cuernavaca and Acapulco — and often hung from bridges — along with messages threatening one of the two feuding factions.

Valdez confirmed on the tape that he berated one accomplice for shooting Paraguayan soccer player Salvador Cabanas during an argument at a Mexico City bar in January, an attack that led to the arrest of a minor henchman, who later told police about Valdez's fury over the incident.

Valdez said he hid the suspect, Jose Jorge Balderas, also known as "JJ", who is still at large.

More of his allies fell in a series of raids and shootouts in Mexico City, Acapulco and other towns. Fifteen Valdez henchmen were killed in a battle with soldiers in June in Taxco, a mountain hamlet outside of Mexico City.

The pursuit intensified six weeks ago when Mexican security officials began getting tips on Valdez's whereabouts and approached U.S. agents for help, according to U.S. law enforcement officials in Washington, who spoke on condition of anonymity because of the sensitivity surrounding the arrest. U.S. intelligence helped pinpoint his location Monday.

An elite, U.S.-trained Mexican federal police squad arrested Valdez and four accomplices at the entrance of a ranch outside Mexico City.

"We were on his heels for the last six weeks, receiving tips, but Mexican law enforcement would show up and they would miss him," one U.S. official said. "He was feeling the heat of Mexican law enforcement."

Associated Press writers Mark Stevenson reported from Mexico City and Paul Weber from Laredo, Texas. AP writers Eduardo Castillo and Istra Pacheco in Mexico City; Ramit Plushnick-Masti in Houston; Mat Otero in Dallas; and Martha Mendoza in Santa Cruz, California, contributed to this report.

RivieraNayarit.com
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August 26, 2010

San Blas is a small fishing village of about 12,000 people on the Pacific Coast of Mexico located between Puerto Vallarta and Mazatlan. (photos by PromoVision)

Carol Claire is 85 years old, and for more than 20 years she's been visiting San Blas. Every year she takes the road from California or Arizona to come to this port located in Riviera Nayarit, and she always goes back home with a smile on her face. This 2010 won't be the exception, and she says there's nothing that makes her think things will be any different this time.

"This year I'm going to convince every single person I know to come to San Blas, so that they can enjoy a wonderful experience of getting in touch with a different culture that has different traditions, a rich history and that offers privileged sights," Carol wrote in a letter to the San Blas Hotel and Motel Association.

Despite the economic turndown and swine flu issues of 2009, and even though the result of such events was a decrease in the number of tourists coming to San Blas in 2010, this year has been a favorable one for a destination that combines an impressive biodiversity, an enviable gastronomy, beautiful beaches and that gives us the opportunity to experience a little part of Mexico's history.

Last February, the International Festival of Migratory Birds brought hundreds of bird watchers to San Blas. This place was chosen not only because it has the largest number of species in the American continent, but also because of the warmth of its people, which guarantees a memorable event every year.

Participants who attended the Festival until the last day were able to experience some of the oldest traditions in this port: the San Blas Fiesta, where the patron saint of this port is honored with a procession aboard boats and ships, reaching its climax with dancing and a festival in front of the church at the main square.

The 2010 Fishing Tournament of San Blas was especially festive, as this year marked its 50th anniversary. The celebration of its first 50 consecutive years assembled almost 80 fishing teams and more than 320 high-end consumers, who competed for five days to get the largest catch amidst an ambiance of comradely and lots of fun.

Another major festivity is coming to San Blas next October, inviting us to visit this port: the celebration in honor of the Virgen Marinera, a tradition that came to San Blas through the Spanish missionaries and which was eventually lost. However, ten years ago, on August 7th, 2000, a new replica of this Spanish Virgin from the port of Cadiz was bestowed to the port of San Blas by Miguel de la Cuadra-Salcedo, founder of the Quetzal Route and a descendant of Captain Juan Francisco de la Bodega y Cuadra, one of the first commanders of the Naval Department of San Blas.

"This year we celebrate the bicentennial of Mexico's Independence, and as Mexicans we must commemorate this event by understanding what Mexico is today and what we are as Mexicans. However, Mexico's history is significantly larger than the events that have happened in the last 200 years; our nation wasn't created overnight, or solely through the beginning of the Independence, which took place at Dolores, Hidalgo. To the people of San Blas, La Marinera is one of the symbols that confers them their identity, and we celebrate it by creating a very special festivity," explained Doris Vazquez, president of the Hotel and Motel Association.

Events as successful as this one, as well as the large number of people who have visited this beautiful city in Riviera Nayarit this year, and stories like the one of Carol Claire give us reasons to believe this is a destination where one can come back time and again.


About Riviera Nayarit: Mexico’s newest destination, Riviera Nayarit, stretches along 192 miles of pristine Pacific coast framed by the majestic Sierra Madre Mountains just ten minutes north of accessible Puerto Vallarta International Airport. The region extends along the entire coast of the Pacific state of Nayarit including the resorts of Nuevo Vallarta, the historic colonial town of San Blas, exclusive Punta Mita, picturesque fishing villages, miles of serene beaches and spectacular Banderas Bay. Riviera Nayarit offers countless activities, all pleasantly affordable, such as: PGA golf courses, luxury spas, whale watching, turtle release, zip lining, surfing, record deep sea fishing, bird watching, international cuisine, and shopping for local artwork and traditional Huichol handicrafts. The region attracts and satisfies vacationers of all tastes and budgets with its wide range of accommodations including chic luxury resorts, eco-tourism boutique hotels and quaint B&B inns. Visit the website at RivieraNayarit.com

Don’t Underestimate the Power of the Tropical Sun 

                                                     © Tara A. Spears

One of the first things that a visitor to exotic coastal Riviera Nayarit usually does is strip down and hit the beach.  It’s so beautiful and the water is so warm, before you know it, you have spent hours basking in the sunshine. Imagine your dismay when you go to take a shower: Ow, pain! Ugh, lobster red! What most visitors (and seasonal residents, too) don’t realize is that at tropical latitudes the sun is closer and more intense than at northern latitudes, therefore, even if you can spend five hours in full sun in Canada, that equates to less than one hour here-even in January.   Before going sunbathing you should consider information on how to avoid sunburn in the first place. It is wise to take proactive measures and protect yourself against the harmful ultraviolet and infrared damage than to spoil your vacation with pain and unsightly peeling. This article includes suggestions for soothing inflamed skin because, even with the good intentions, sometimes you still get a sunburn.

To read more of the sunburn story click here

Mexico's 500-Peso Bills to Feature Frida, Diego
Associated Press
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August 31, 2010

 

The Bank of Mexico displays samples of Mexico's new 500-peso bills that bear the images of Frida Kahlo and DiegoRivera, two of the country's best-known painters, August 30, 2010. (Xinhua/AFP)

Mexico City - Mexico's new 500-peso bills will bear the images of Frida Kahlo and Diego Rivera, two of the country's best-known painters.

The Bank of Mexico says the bills will go into circulation Monday and are a tribute to the artists, who were married twice and worked in the early- and mid-20th century.

The bills will be coffee-colored and have on the front a self-portrait of Rivera, who along with Jose Clemente Orozco and David Alfaro Siqueiros were Mexico's top muralists in the previous century.

The back will have a self-portrait by Kahlo, who was known for her tortured subjects.

Federico Rubi, the bank's director of external relations, called them Mexico's most prestigious artists.

Five hundred pesos are worth a bit less than $50.

 

Mexico Tourism Booming, Officials Say
Joshua Rhett Miller - FoxNews.com
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September 01, 2010

Several airlines, including Virgin America, have recently announced additional direct flights from U.S. destinations and elsewhere to Mexico resorts like San Jose del Cabo and Cancun. Despite the ongoing drug-related violence there, Mexican officials say tourism is thriving. (AP/Virgin America)

As Mexican officials investigate a bloody attack that left eight people dead in one of the country's most popular vacation destinations, officials there say the drug wars appear to be having little effect on tourism.

Six women and two men died Tuesday in a fire at a bar frequented by locals in the resort town of Cancun. Employees at Castillo del Mar have told police that gunmen tossed gasoline bombs at the establishment, which is located in a low-income area far from the city's main tourist zone.

Quintana Roo state Attorney General Francisco Alor told a local radio station that the cause of the blaze remains under investigation and that the bar has had problems in the past, although he did not elaborate.

Businesses throughout Mexico are often hit up for protection money by drug cartels, which sometimes set fire to those that refuse to pay, the Associated Press reports. And while Cancun has largely avoided the drug-related violence that has killed more than 28,000 people in Mexico since 2006, drug cartels and immigrant traffickers are known to operate in the area.

But the violence appears not to be deterring vacationers, who are scheduling trips to Mexico even after the U.S. State Department issued a travel warning on Aug. 27, advising American citizens to delay unnecessary travel to the central Mexican states of Michoacan and Tamaulipas, as well as Sinaloa, Durango and Coahuila.

The warning also ordered children of all U.S. government employees to leave Monterrey amid a high number of kidnappings there and following an Aug. 20 shooting near the city's American Foundation School. An earlier warning that authorized the departure of relatives of U.S. government personnel from U.S. consulates in the northern Mexican border cities of Tijuana, Nogales, Ciudad Juarez, Nuevo Laredo, Monterrey and Matamoros also remains in effect.

U.S. citizens are encouraged to "stay within the well-known tourist areas," according to the warning.

"Although narcotics-related crime is a particular concern along Mexico's northern border, violence has occurred throughout the country, including in areas frequented by American tourists," the warning read. "U.S. citizens traveling to Mexico should exercise caution in unfamiliar areas and be aware of their surroundings at all times … In recent years, dozens of U.S. citizens living in Mexico have been kidnapped and most of their cases remain unsolved."

But despite the danger, the number of international tourists visiting the country by plane increased 35 percent in June compared to the same month in 2009, according to Mexico Tourism Board (MTB) statistics.

MTB officials say nearly 820,000 people from destinations worldwide visited Mexico in June, up from 605,435 in June 2009. Of those visitors, the tourism board said, roughly 573,000 were from the United States, a 23 percent increase from the same period a year ago. Canadian visitors, meanwhile, skyrocketed more than 100 percent compared to the year before, up from 21,322 to more than 41,000.

But figures provided by the U.S. Office of Travel and Tourism Industries paint a different picture, indicating that the number of U.S. air passengers to Mexico actually declined by 2.5 percent this year and by nearly 11 percent in 2009.

MTB officials say cruise travel is also on the rise, as the number of American cruise passengers in the first four months of 2010 increased 6 percent compared to 2009 levels. Passengers from Canada also increased 9 percent from a year ago, MTB officials said. Mexican ports welcomed 5 million cruise passengers last year, and that figure is expected to reach nearly 6 million this year.

Despite the recent suspension of service on Mexicana Airlines, MTB officials are touting increased service by AeroMexico - the country's largest transcontinental airline - from Miami to Monterrey and Houston to Monterrey. Other airlines have also begun offering additional direct flights to Mexico's hot spots, or will begin to do so shortly. British Airways is scheduled to begin flying direct between London and Cancun in November, and China's Hainan Airlines will begin flying direct to Mexico City. U.S. airlines, too, are offering new direct routes from San Francisco to Los Cabos and Charlotte, N.C., to Puerto Vallarta.

"We feel these numbers are evidence of the strength and quality of Mexico's destinations," Mexico's Secretary of Tourism, Gloria Guevara, said in a statement.

Online travel agencies agreed that Mexico remains a top tourist destination despite its deadly drug war.

Genevieve Shaw Brown, a senior editor for Travelocity, said Cancun remains the country's most popular destination and ranks No. 13 among the travel site's domestic and international locations.

"Two of the reasons Mexico remains popular are value and convenience," Brown said in a statement to FoxNews.com. "There are direct flights to Mexico’s major tourist destinations from nearly every major city in the U.S. That competition among airlines helps to keep pricing down. Average international airfare from the U.S. this fall is $769 round trip as compared to airfare from the U.S. to Mexico at $443 round trip."

Marita Hudson Thomas of Orbitz.com said Mexico's resort towns are "largely unaffected" by the ongoing travel warnings. In fact, she said, Cancun was just named the company's top international destination for the Labor Day weekend.

Popularity of Mexico's Gulf Coast resorts aside, the State Department travel warning makes it clear that travel South of the Border is not without risk. And recent news reports bear out the potential danger.

At least 16 people were injured last week when a grenade exploded at a bar in the resort city of Puerto Vallarta. And other tourist hot spots like Acapulco, Ixtapa, Zihuatanejo and Cuernavaca aren't immune to the drug-related violence.

"In April 2010, three innocent bystanders were killed in a shootout between Mexican police and drug-trafficking organization members in broad daylight in one of Acapulco's main tourist areas," the warning reads. "In the same month, numerous incidents of narcotics-related violence occurred in the city of Cuernavaca, in the State of Morelos, a popular destination for American language students."