From the “be careful what you wish for department”:In Latin America, the #1 reported crime is cell phone theft. Knowing that scumbag politicians don’t give rip if the poor and middle-classes continuously get their phones snatched, the jerks in congress never did much about it.... till now. It was when high-priced I-phones and smartphone start getting snatched and the wives, families and mistresses ...
From the “be careful what you wish for department”:
In Latin America, the #1 reported crime is cell phone theft. Knowing that scumbag politicians don’t give rip if the poor and middle-classes continuously get their phones snatched, the jerks in congress never did much about it.... till now. It was when high-priced I-phones and smartphone start getting snatched and the wives, families and mistresses of the ass-wipe rotten politicians and the wealthy 2% were suddenly targeted- that’s when a volley of stupid-ass laws were passed in droves to try to curb such crimes. Luckily because this is Latin America, enforcement of laws (crappy and otherwise) has always been hit and miss. And here are a few great examples of that..
-Notice that when you’re in Latin America the motorcycles on the road outnumber the cars by two to one or more. If you drive a car in larger Latin cities, you’ll quickly notice motorcyclists (motos) break so many laws that it’s not surprising to see many machines, passengers and drivers splattered along the roads. Not long ago I personally witnessed THREE motorcycle wipe-outs in one day. Note that expats who drive in larger cities can expect to see, on average, a crackup like that about every week or so. According to Latin auto insurance companies, with moto accidents, the motorcyclist is almost always at fault. Unfortunately for the other guy, less than one moto in a thousand has any kind of insurance at all.
-Note that when you’re down here and start making Latin friends, sooner or later you'll be hit with certain predictable questions like, “Why would you ever want to leave the USA?” And then, after you unsatisfactorily try to explain that one, next they’ll ask why you (an assumed rich gringo) would carry a cheap “dumb” phone, drive a nondescript slightly-dented auto, and have no obvious designer clothes or bling to speak of. No use in explaining the benefits of a low-profile lifestyle or your personal motives. Even the most educated Latins won’t get it. No matter what you say the local Latins will think you are either a cheapskate or nearly broke. Funny thing, I don’t think I’ve ever met a Latin who wouldn’t gladly sacrifice security for a bit of status (I know there are a plenty of gringos who would do so too).
-Do follow the link on the main page at www.ExpatWisdom.com to schedule a private phone, Skype or Mumble consult with me. If you want to discuss the details of living, working, playing, doing business and/or retiring in Latin America. Now you and I can talk about your situation one on one.
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