Good question Simon. If anyone thinking of coming down here currently only ventures short distances from their gated community in a high end neighborhood maybe they wouldn't be comfortable here or most any other country in the world. I might have the wrong impression but if that is the case, please stay in your comfort zone which may not be in a poor country.

The rest of us take a chance every time we cross the road. (especially lately) We except certain calculated risks in our everyday life and consider it a trade off for the great surroundings and people we live among. With that we are comfortable. Of course we are also striving to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone and we criticize certain happenings that could have either been handled better or prevented. People are not perfect and crap happens. Most of the crap around here happens in certain neighborhoods where the criminals live and terrorize their neighbors with their rivalries. Very few Gringos are involved with most of this problem. When you read of a shooting or murder 99% of the time tourist or expats are not involved. That does not make it right but that is the way it is.

Jim
Formerly from somewhere on a beach in Belize