In contrast to the USA, Mexico's middle class continues growing at a relatively steady pace. The rise in the value of the dollar makes our exports more attractive, but since our inflation has been historically low it really doesn't affect us unless we buy U.S. goods or services.

The bajío and the northern states continue to enjoy increasing productivity and a rising standard of living, but as recent air pollution levels in the Valle de México have reminded all its residents: we urgently need to wean ourselves from fossil fuels. It's suicide not to.

The impression we had, after only a few short days in the Bajio, was that the residents appear to enjoy life, have confidence in the future, and that Mexico is a country on the move.

That news is shocking. Hopefully the US government, as well as the local press, will push for answers.
Can we expect to soon see one of the recently-released killers waiting tables at a restaurant near you? Well, I certainly won't tip him. Then again, if he knows he can get away with murder.......

Not unless you want to do the pushing. No one is doing anything. Justice is failing Al Rak and his family in the three nations of North America.

I'm interested enough to make some inquiries, as soon as I get back home. Don't know where poster rojo gets his information that Sheppard is "hiding out in the open safely in Canada", ( sounds contradictory, doesn't it?) but I'll give it a try, since, apparently, no one else is.
Please archive this thread so I can reference it. Maybe under "Frank Sheppard"

Why the hell has Frank Sheppard not been charged and extradited from Canada. He is hiding out in the open safely in Canada and something is sure screwy that the so called legal system (nothing related to a justice system) does not get him back here to face the issue. Why have the convicted murderers been released (are they related to someone in the system)

Like the rest of us I dont factually know. But I'm wondering if they served their time. I think this case is at leat 5 years old. Does anyone know if Mexico requested extradition? If not it wont happen and if they did then Candada must have denied it. It would have to be one of those things unless they can't find him, which I doubt.

Why the hell has Frank Sheppard not been charged and extradited from Canada. He is hiding out in the open safely in Canada and something is sure screwy that the so called legal system (nothing related to a justice system) does not get him back here to face the issue. Why have the convicted murderers been released (are they related to someone in the system)

All wonderful and pertinent questions to which I have no good answers. Maybe someone will make it their task to find those answers. My plate is too full at the moment.

That news is shocking. Hopefully the US government, as well as the local press, will push for answers.
Can we expect to soon see one of the recently-released killers waiting tables at a restaurant near you? Well, I certainly won't tip him. Then again, if he knows he can get away with murder.......

Not unless you want to do the pushing. No one is doing anything. Justice is failing Al Rak and his family in the three nations of North America.

And I'm still wondering why 5 confessed killers of local resident and U.S. citizen Al Rak were recently all released from prison.

That news is shocking. Hopefully the US government, as well as the local press, will push for answers.
Can we expect to soon see one of the recently-released killers waiting tables at a restaurant near you? Well, I certainly won't tip him. Then again, if he knows he can get away with murder.......

Holymole, what I'm saying is that the Canadian and US news media and our governments have been saying how dangerous Mexico is for us tourists and you barely ever hear of warnings for other destinations that are in fact really dangerous and have issues with violence against tourists on a regular basis but still popular with many. The DR and Jamaica are the top 2 places in our hotspots for violent crimes against tourists. Mexico is nowhere close to these destinations but gets the brunt of the negative reporting when in fact there is little violence against tourists happening, especially when you compare the numbers of tourists visiting all these destinations with Mexico still way ahead of all combined other hotspots...

That is most definitely true. I used to live in the US Virgin Islands and I was there during the Fountain Valley Massacre where a bunch of tourists were killed by pissed off ex-Vietnam vets at a luxury golf course. The island was just beginning to recover from that when Hugo hit. But in the long run, the island has never really recovered from the two incidents since it set the place so far behind. And once again violence there is out of control and there are shootings happening in broad daylight and no one seems to be able to do anything, but their politicians are sure living well. So they struggle to attract tourists and cruise ships just like we do, but the difference is that their tourists have actually been targeted by their criminals over and over, whereas here it's not so much the criminals that target tourists as corrupt public servants and a few overcharging taxi drivers and the odd waiter padding the bill.

As for the recent shoot-outs in the regularized land invasions on our hillsides, same place where certain supposedly altruistic foreigners insist on helping the invaders get their stolen lands regularized, maybe that was what Astudillo was referring to since very little has been reported on that except by local blogs and Despertar de la Costa.

And I'm still wondering why 5 confessed killers of local resident and U.S. citizen Al Rak were recently all released from prison.

Living anywhere on this planet is dangerous. With all our problems I'll still take Zihuatanejo. Your mileage may vary.

"Astudillo told the reporters in Acapulco that they should look to the smaller resort city of Zihuatanejo where ,he said, a concerted effort to pay less attention to the violence was helping the local economy.

"In Zihuatanejo they are very aware of what is happening, but they also want tourism and they want jobs," he said. "That's why they have a pact of silence in order to keep hotels at 100 percent capacity."

https://news.vice.com/article/say-nice-things-about-acapulco-mexican-governor-urges-media-silence-on-violence

Well, in fact, yes, it certainly can be.

Showing that violent crime exists elsewhere is like countering claims that the USA has one of the world's highest rates of incarceration, by pointing out that South Africa has a very high rate too.

We leave tomorrow on our 5200 km drive home. We're going to visit several inland cities in Mexico that we haven't been to before.

We'll probably survive the trip.

Am I apprehensive? You bet.

And for those who prefer not to dwell too long on such matters:

It's only 206 sleeps until we're back in Zihua again!

http://www.winnipegfreepress.com/local/lac-du-bonnet-retiree-killed-in-dominican-republic-374804781.html