Allegedly anti-American sentiment in Latin America

[Onadlos]

When I was in Mexico people who thought I was American were ready to give me a hard time. My Spanish being fluent, I made it clear they got the wrong guy.

Political views aside, I am store manager in Europe and we have customers from all around the globe. While some of them are considered low educated or rude by French standards, American tourists are the most annoying by far. Not because they are rude, but because they are desperate for attention, want to talk an talk all the time and think store clerks actually care about their aunt in New York. They can spend hours and buy nothing.

Groups of girls in particular are shameless and act like no one is around and everyone's here to listen to them rambling about random bullshit. I noticed that in America the clerks tend to be sucking clients balls. Anyway They try stuff and leave them on the floor, make unpolite comments and speak loud like a flock of seagulls (not the band) every sentence finishing by "I was like".

One thinng I particularly noticed is how they have positive comments about everything being so great and so cool and you never know what they think.

American guys on the contrary can behave and are really polite, but they apparently take pride in making it clear where they come from by wearing shorts with performance shoes, a fanny pack and polo shirts tucked in their belts, and a haircut like billy sheen. A look that didn't survive the millenium anywhere else. I believe the poor castrated guys let their wives buy their clothes.

I guess what I'm trying to say is the bias is there, but can be avoided if you don't behave like a total cliché. Just because you're on holiday doesn't mean you can wear flip flops in city centers. It's the city for god's sake. Have a little self respect and people will be more than happy to interact with you.

Whatever country you come from people will always criticise first, then based on your reaction accept or reject you. Like women!

[TheStrongest]

If you act like an arrogant jerk you will be poorly received anywhere on the globe.

If, when you travel, you carry yourself with respect, I have found that you will generally be treated in like kind.

I've found the people in Latin American to be quite friendly and have encountered little bias against my nationality. However, I speak Spanish and a bit of Portuguese, and always try my best to understand local customs and culture. I feel like over the course of my travels I've received far more flack from Canadians (especially a few years back when I was at a bar in Santo Domingo watching Tampa Bay beat the Flames in the Stanley Cup) and Europeans about being American than I have from anyone in Latin America.

PS The best Super Bowl party I ever went to was in Mexico, I was the only gringo in sight but we were all too busy having fun for anybody to worry about our nationalities.

[Australiasucks]

I'm not really sure but I felt the same thing from time to time when I was in Sydney and Melbourne in late 2000. Perhaps the constant USA chant that

Occurs often during the Olympics or perhaps the constant intrusion of USA culture. For example, they had Jerry Springer reruns and other garbage that populated their TV programming at that time.

Granted most Australians were extremely pleasant and enjoyable but some wouldn't even answer you back once they found out you were American.

That is true of many Aussies, Americans won't be given the red carpet treatment in many cases. Things were actually good in 2000 for Yanks in Australia, over the past decade it has worsened. China is the most regarded foreign country in Australia and for good reason, they are fueling Australia's economy that is why Oz is the only Western country that was not knocked down by the global financial crisis.

[Australiasucks]

Ummm why would Australians be jealous?

Republicans/Conservatives LOVE to say other countries are jealous of America.

Why be jealous of this place?????

Aussies have a bit of a biased view of America because of television, some people really think the average American lives like Donald Trump or Paris Hilton. More enlightened people like me know the reality. I still think the USA has a good standard of living but the current generation has gotten so used to having a high standard of living any downgrade would be seen as a disaster. For many years, Australia has always been seen as being poorer and less affluent. I know Americans who live in Australia always feel deep down that the standard of living in Oz is lower, consumer items like cars and televisions are far more expensive, infrastructure tends to be less advanced. Compare Sydney to San Francisco, SF has BART, amazing transportation the Sydney rail network is laughable in comparison. I listed those two cities for their obvious similarities. Many educated Australians often moved overseas for employment and the US was among the top destinations. The financial crisis and the rise of Asian nations over the past few years has changed things somewhat.

[Calculator]

Ummm why would Australians be jealous?

Republicans/Conservatives LOVE to say other countries are jealous of America.

Why be jealous of this place?

I'm not really sure but I felt the same thing from time to time when I was in Sydney and Melbourne in late 2000. Perhaps the constant USA chant that

Occurs often during the Olympics or perhaps the constant intrusion of USA culture. For example, they had Jerry Springer reruns and other garbage that populated their TV programming at that time.

Granted most Australians were extremely pleasant and enjoyable but some wouldn't even answer you back once they found out you were American.

[DJ FourMoney]

Anti American feeling is nothing new but has intensified over the past 10 years. It exists in many forms in most countries. Many Australians, despite being a very similar country look down on America, most of it is really jealousy, but quite a few Americans who spent an extended period of time here noticed it.

Ummm why would Australians be jealous?

Republicans/Conservatives LOVE to say other countries are jealous of America.

Why be jealous of this place?????

[Australiasucks]

Anti American feeling is nothing new but has intensified over the past 10 years. It exists in many forms in most countries. Many Australians, despite being a very similar country look down on America, most of it is really jealousy, but quite a few Americans who spent an extended period of time here noticed it.

[Admin]

Lorenzo and Xion149,

That's enough!

Thanks,

Jackson

[Lorenzo]

.....apparently you're planning a trip to Iran. Good fucking luck with that one! I bet you stick out pretty bad in LA as-is, just wait till you hit Tehran. You are aware that they kill people over there for the type of activities discussed in this forum, right? This is your informed opinion, as world traveler, speaking?

Of course I'm aware of that. That's why I don't plan to monger in Iran. As I said before,there's more to life than mongering. But I guess that's too profound a concept for your drug-addled brain to comprehend.

[Xion149]

As for drugs--the fact that you use drugs at all shows you up for what you are: SCUM. People who use recreational drugs are assholes, festering sores on the body of society--no exceptions. If this offends anyone, I don't care. BTW, what were you smoking when you wrote your posts?

Lorenzo

So let me get this straight. You can't defend any of your arguments, so you've resorted to bashing my recreational drug use. People who use recreational drugs are assholes you say? Festering sores on the body of society? Better check yourself man, I guarantee- they are closer than you think. Think there's not a weed smoker or two in your family? I'd put heavy money there is. And on top of all the idiotic shit you said already, apparently you're planning a trip to Iran. Good fucking luck with that one! I bet you stick out pretty bad in LA as-is, just wait till you hit Tehran. You are aware that they kill people over there for the type of activities discussed in this forum, right? This is your informed opinion, as world traveler, speaking? Yeah I'll take travel advice from you- right after my physical with Dr. Kevorkian.

[Lorenzo]

I only go places where the women are fine, the drugs are good, and the party is live. Guyana isn't any of those things. Zimbabwe is "there". Iran is "there". Sudan is "there". The black hole of Calcutta is "there". I won't be going to any of these places, know why? CUZ THEY'RE FUCKED.

I'm not going to bother arguing each of the "points" you tried to make. The above statements, made by you yourself, show your limitations as a human being and as a traveler. There's more to life than mongering and partying, my friend, and the sooner you find this out the better. As for Zimbabwe, Iran and Sudan, I haven't yet been to any of these countries, but I do indeed hope to go to all of them sooner or later. In fact, I have a trip to Iran tentatively planned for late 2009.

As for drugs--the fact that you use drugs at all shows you up for what you are: SCUM. People who use recreational drugs are assholes, festering sores on the body of society--no exceptions. If this offends anyone, I don't care. BTW, what were you smoking when you wrote your posts?

Lorenzo

[Xion149]

(Sigh) It becomes tedious having to explain the obvious to simpletons, but here I go again. My point was that attacks on Americans in Latin America were not motivated by anti-Americanism, which seemed to be the assumption in many of the posts on this thread, and that not all victims of crime in LA are Americans. So dress down and don't flaunt your (real or imagined) wealth.

As I said before- NO SHIT, SHERLOCK.
It becomes tedious when idiots point out the obvious.
Nobody made the assumption that you described above, or stated that Americans are the only ones at risk in LA.
You injected that insipid notion all on your own.
Additionally, the idea that "dressing down" is going to help you in any way blend in, is totally retarded.
You can dress like a pauper, speak perfect spanish, and still be easily identifiable as American, from 50 yards away.
Don't think so? Now who's fooling themself?

Only a true ignoramus would make a statement like this. Why would you go to Guyana? Because it's there, asshole! No true traveler would make a statement like this.

LOL yeah ok right man. I only go places where the women are fine, the drugs are good, and the party is live. Guyana isn't any of those things. Zimbabwe is "there". Iran is "there". Sudan is "there". The black hole of Calcutta is "there". I won't be going to any of these places, know why? CUZ THEY'RE FUCKED. There isn't shit in Guyana that interests me, and you can see from the post count in that section it doesn't interest many others on this site either. If not wanting to hang out in the backwater assholes of the world, living out of a backpack makes me not a "true traveler" then guilty as charged! I don't waste my time with ugly women in the states, why am I gonna fly all the way to fucking Guyana for some ugly ass jungle pussy?

As far as relying on the State Department Consular sheets, well, ROFLMAO. Again, you are showing your inexperience as a traveler if you believe they even remotely reflect reality.

I said I consider them as sources of information- not that I read them like the fucking bible. If I did, I wouldn't be on my 10th trip to Colombia, I've been all around Bogota and Medellin, what's the State Dept. got to say about those places?

Of course you don't need to know Spanish in Belize, because it's an English-speaking country, a British territory until independence in the 1980's. Duh! And the fact that you would take a Carnival cruise at all reflects the level of your sophistication as a traveler.

Everything in the sentence above seems to indicate that Belize is a pretty safe country for Americans:

1. English spoken/no Spanish required
2. British territory up until quite recently
3. Stupid people (cruiseboat tourists, myself) are numerous here and get along safely with no problems.

So are you arguing for, or against the safety of Belize?
And its kinda pointless to quote the safety & crime portion of the data sheet, because EVERY country has a safety and crime section on their brief (guess you missed that like you missed the TJ crime section huh?) Do you actually think you're going to find a country where stabbing, armed robbery, shooting, etc do not occur?

And what is your beef with Carnival cruise? You act like I'm some dink tooling around the ocean with his family in tow. What the fuck do you know anyway? Not shit. FYI thats the only cruise I've been on, but I actually enjoyed it. There is a time for rolling around in filthy $6 chongos, and a time for relaxing on a big luxurious boat with lots of amenities. I've done both. What, are you gonna try to hate on me for my vacation style now? Gimme a fuckin break, you cheap assclown.

Regarding safety in Belize, since you seem to rely so highly on the State Department Consular sheets, I'll quote directly from their consular sheet on Belize:
<blah blah blah>
Enough said!

I don't rely highly on the consular sheets, as I've stated above. They are a SOURCE. You take the good info and throw out the BS.
And stop saying "enough said!".
Everytime you say "enough said!" without making an actual valid point, it just makes you look like a fucking wanker.

To conclude, Xion149, my suggestion to you is that you refrain from making authoritative pronouncements on topics until you have acquired more travel experience and/or have done your homework.

Oh wow, I wasn't aware that you're new to this whole internet thing.
Sorry to disappoint you, but me curbing my opinion, based on some perceived expertise on your part- is not likely in the cards.
Here's how its gonna go down, you can either:

A. SHUT THE FUCK UP
B. GET THE FUCK OUT
C. Some combination of A and B
OR
D. Counter my opinion with experiences/references of your own

Until then go read some more fucking books about Guyana, or some other countries nobody wants to visit.

Edit: looking back through your post history, I came upon your "Central America Comparitive Summary"

http://www.internationalsexguide.inf...770#post737770

I don't know why you're trying so hard to get at me, it looks like you actually AGREE with alot of the things I've said:

4) You will need to have some knowledge of Spanish--period. This is especially true in El Salvador, Honduras, and Nicaragua.

Again, NO FUCKING KIDDING, REALLY?! And what were some of the countries I put on my "pushing it" list?
Oh that's right: El Salvador, Honduras, and Nicaragua. Next?

6) In all of these countries, watch your back. Your physical safety comes first. If you don't know an area, don't assume it's safe.

So. Seeing as I've put the majority of Central America in the "pushing it" category, and you are talking about Central America, it would seem that we agree on that as well.

It appears you are arguing just for the sake of being argumentative. Stop it. Makes you look quite the asshole.

[Lorenzo]

wow no kidding, the motive for robbery is money?? you dont say!!
please dr. holmes, bestow more of your great insights upon us!

(sigh) it becomes tedious having to explain the obvious to simpletons, but here i go again. my point was that attacks on americans in latin america were not motivated by anti-americanism, which seemed to be the assumption in many of the posts on this thread, and that not all victims of crime in la are americans. so dress down and don't flaunt your (real or imagined) wealth.

haven't been to guyana, why the hell would i?....as for guyana- i put it in the safe-ish category based on the state dept. consular report, which doesn't say anything particularly alarming other than a ridiculously high incidence of traffic accidents. i'll cede this round to you, but again, its guyana- nobody gives a fuck.

only a true ignoramus would make a statement like this. why would you go to guyana? because it's there, asshole! no true traveler would make a statement like this. guyana is actually quite a fascinating place, as are most out of the way places. but because of your advance judgments, i guess you'll never know.

as far as relying on the state department consular sheets, well, roflmao. again, you are showing your inexperience as a traveler if you believe they even remotely reflect reality.

yes i have been to belize, on a carnival cruise. i walked around the city a bit, and was not presented with any person or thing even remotely threatening. it was much like any other caribbean locale, very laid back, alot of people speaking english, you didn't need to know spanish at all.

of course you don't need to know spanish in belize, because it's an english-speaking country, a british territory until independence in the 1980's. duh! and the fact that you would take a carnival cruise at all reflects the level of your sophistication as a traveler.

regarding safety in belize, since you seem to rely so highly on the state department consular sheets, i'll quote directly from their consular sheet on belize:

"the incidence of crime, including violent crimes such as armed robbery, shooting, stabbing, murder, and [CodeWord123], is on the rise. the embassy has noted an increase in recent years in reports of crimes against tourists at resorts and on the roadways and river ways. the incidence of crimes such as theft, burglary, purse-snatching, and pick-pocketing rises around the winter holidays and spring break. several victims who resisted when confronted by criminals have received serious personal injuries, including gunshot wounds. although the majority of reported incidents are in belize city, crime occurs in all districts including tourist spots such as san pedro, caye caulker, and placencia.

sexual harassment and/or assault of females traveling alone or in small groups have occurred in 2007. several american travelers have been the victims of sexual assaults in recent years. one of these occurred after the victim accepted a lift from an acquaintance, while others have occurred during armed robberies in resort areas. one of these assaults has resulted in the death of the victim.

the embassy recommends that visitors travel in groups and only in daylight hours, stay off the streets after dark, in urban and rural areas, and avoid wearing jewelry, or carrying valuable or expensive items. as a general rule, valuables should not be left unattended, including in hotel rooms and on the beach. care should be taken when carrying high value items such as cameras, or when wearing expensive jewelry on the street. women’s handbags should be zipped and held close to the body. men should carry wallets in their front pants pocket. large amounts of cash should always be handled discreetly.
if traveling by taxi, use only vehicles with green license plates, do not get in a taxi that is occupied by more than the driver, and do not let the driver pick up additional fares.

armed robberies of american tourist groups occurred during the summer of 2006 in the mountain pine ridge and caracol regions of the western district of belize. due to increased police patrols, coordinated tours among resort security managers, and the arrest of two of the "highway bandits," there have not been any additional robberies since june 2006. in the past, criminals have targeted popular mayan archeological sites in that region. visitors should travel in groups and should stick to the main plazas and tourist sites. although there are armed guards posted at some of the archeological sites, armed criminals have been known to prey on persons walking from one site to another. victims who resist when confronted by these armed assailants frequently suffer personal injury.

travel on rural roads, especially at night, increases the risk of encountering criminal activities. widespread narcotics and alien smuggling activities can make remote areas especially dangerous. though there is no evidence that americans in particular are targeted, criminals look for every opportunity to attack, so all travelers should be vigilant.
rather than traveling alone, use a reputable tour organization. it is best to stay in groups, travel in a caravan consisting of two or more vehicles, and stay on the main roads. ensure that someone not traveling with you is aware of your itinerary. travelers should resist the temptation to stay in budget hotels, which are generally more susceptible to crime, and stay in the main tourist destinations. do not explore back roads or isolated paths near tourist sites. and remember always to pay close attention to your surroundings.

americans visiting the belize-guatemala border area should consider carefully their security situation and should travel only during daylight hours. vehicles should be in good operating condition, adequately fueled, and carry communications equipment. persons traveling into guatemala from belize should check the country specific information for guatemala and the u.s. embassy web site at http://guatemala.usembassy.gov for the latest information about crime and security in guatemala.

a lack of resources and training impedes the ability of the police to investigate crimes effectively and to apprehend serious offenders. as a result, a number of crimes against americans in belize remain unresolved. nonetheless, victims of crime should report immediately to the police all incidents of assault, robbery, theft, or other crimes. tourists may contact the belizean tourist police unit as well as the main police office for assistance.

in addition to reporting crimes to local police, american citizens should report all criminal incidents to the u.s. embassy in belmopan, telephone 822-4011. the embassy staff can assist an american with finding appropriate medical care, contacting family members or friends, and having funds transferred, as well as in determining whether any assistance is available from the victim’s home state.

drug use is common in some tourist areas. american citizens should avoid buying, selling, holding, or taking illegal drugs under any circumstances. penalties for possession of drugs or drug paraphernalia are generally more severe than in the united states."

enough said!

you are apparently one of these americans that thinks rio represents all brazil has to offer. take a look at the map, bub. brazil is fucking huge and amazing.

again, i'll quote from a state department consular sheet, this time on brazil:

"crime: crime throughout brazil has reached very high levels. the brazilian police and the brazilian press report that the rate of crime continues to rise, especially in the major urban centers – though it is also spreading in rural areas. brazil’s murder rate is more than four times higher than that of the u.s. rates for other crimes are similarly high. the majority of crimes are not solved. there were several reported [CodeWord124] against american citizens in 2006.

street crime remains a problem for visitors and local residents alike, especially in the evenings and late at night. foreign tourists are often targets of crime and americans are not exempt. this targeting occurs in all tourist areas but is especially problematic in rio de janeiro, salvador and recife.

caution is advised with regard to nighttime travel through more rural areas and satellite cities due to reported incidents of roadside robberies that randomly target passing vehicles. robbery and “quicknapping” outside of banks and atm machines are common. in a “quicknapping,” criminals abduct victims for a short time in order to receive a quick payoff from the family, business or the victim’s atm card. some victims have been beaten and/or raped.

the incidence of crime against tourists is greater in areas surrounding beaches, hotels, discotheques, bars, nightclubs, and other similar establishments that cater to visitors. this type of crime is especially prevalent during carnaval (brazilian mardi gras), but takes place throughout the year. while the risk is greater at dusk and during the evening hours, street crime can occur both day and night, and even safer areas of cities are not immune. incidents of theft on city buses are frequent and visitors should avoid such transportation. several brazilian cities have established specialized tourist police units to patrol areas frequented by tourists. in rio de janeiro, crime continues to plague the major tourist areas (see separate section on rio de janeiro).

at airports, hotel lobbies, bus stations and other public places, incidents of pick pocketing, theft of hand carried luggage, and laptop computers are common. travelers should "dress down" when outside and avoid carrying valuables or wearing jewelry or expensive watches. "good samaritan" scams are common. if a tourist looks lost or seems to be having trouble communicating, a seemingly innocent bystander offering help may victimize them. care should be taken at and around banks and internationally connected automatic teller machines that take u.s. credit or debit cards. very poor neighborhoods known as "favelas," such as those located on steep hillsides in rio de janeiro, are found throughout brazil. these areas are sites of uncontrolled criminal activity and are often not patrolled by police. u.s. citizens are advised to avoid these unsafe areas. carjacking is on the increase in sao paulo, recife and other cities.

travelers using personal atms or credit cards sometimes receive billing statements with non-authorized charges after returning from a visit to brazil. the embassy and consulates have received numerous reports from both official americans and tourists who have had their cards cloned or duplicated without their knowledge. those using such payment methods should carefully monitor their banking online for the duration of their visit.

while the ability of brazilian police to help recover stolen property is limited, it is nevertheless strongly advised to obtain a "boletim de ocorrencia" (police report) at a "delegacia" (police station) whenever any possessions are lost or stolen. this will facilitate the traveler's exit from brazil and insurance claims.

in many countries around the world, counterfeit and pirated goods are widely available. transactions involving such products may be illegal under local law. in addition, bringing them back to the united states may result in forfeitures and/or fines. more information on this serious problem is available at http://www.cybercrime.gov/18usc2320.htm."

as you can see, their statement on brazil refers to the entire country, not just rio.

to conclude, xion149, my suggestion to you is that you refrain from making authoritative pronouncements on topics until you have acquired more travel experience and/or have done your homework.

(carnival cruise line: yuck, guffaw, chortle, chortle!)

lorenzo

[Xion149]

There seems to be a misperception in some of the posts here that there is a connection between anti-Americanism and crime. Not so. Those who are victims of street crime are victims because they are perceived as rich, not because they are Americans. Those who are perceived as having money--even wealthy Latin Americans--will be targeted. Why? Because that's where the money is, or is perceived as being.

WOW NO KIDDING, THE MOTIVE FOR ROBBERY IS MONEY?? YOU DONT SAY!!
Please Dr. Holmes, bestow more of your great insights upon us!
Look man it works like this:
Compared to the average South American population, an American tourist is FILTHY rich.
Don't even dispute it.
If you live in the continental US, and you fly to say, Rio.
The price of your plane ticket alone (roughly $800 or so) represents an entire year of earnings- for at least 60 million Brazilians.
That tourist is likely to have at least $50 on him, and maybe another $800 you can extort from his bank account.
American = rich = targeted.
I think we're in agreement here, so I don't know why you're all agitated about this.
Does this mean that there are not also rich Latin Americans? Of course not, some are very rich- but that wasn't the discussion.

Are you kidding me? You have obviously never been to either country. Belize City is extremely dangerous at night. No visitor ever goes anywhere except by taxi. You are safer in the resort towns. Guyana is probably the most dangerous country in South America, bar none. Even during the day, it's advisable to go everywhere by taxi in Georgetown.

Haven't been to Guyana, why the hell would I? Yes I have been to Belize, on a Carnival cruise. I walked around the city a bit, and was not presented with any person or thing even remotely threatening. It was much like any other Caribbean locale, very laid back, alot of people speaking english, you didn't need to know spanish at all. Very easy to get around. Monger scene sucks but that wasn't what I was there for. My boss had his honeymoon there, did all the nature and ecotourism shit. He's a 5'1" skinny guy from fiji with an english accent. If he's safe there then anyone is. Alot of rich people park their money there. I don't know where your impression is from, are you afraid of cruiseboat tourists? As for Guyana- I put it in the safe-ish category based on the State Dept. consular report, which doesn't say anything particularly alarming other than a ridiculously high incidence of traffic accidents. I'll cede this round to you, but again, its Guyana- NOBODY GIVES A FUCK.

Again, are you kidding me? Rio is one of the most murderous cities in the world. As in any other large city, including many in the US, it is necessary to use precautions and common sense, but Rio is still very dangerous. As far as I know, Rio is the only city in the world for which ISG has a separate thread on crime and safety. Enough said.

Yes please, enough said! I can't take your stupid shit anymore. You are apparently one of these Americans that thinks Rio represents all Brazil has to offer. Take a look at the map, bub. BRAZIL IS FUCKING HUGE AND AMAZING. Now go ask a Brazilian what he thinks about Rio, or if it would be a good place to visit, and he will tell you what a festering armpit of a place it really is. Maybe then he'll point you to somewhere like Florianopolis.. with the white sand beaches and hot fucking model women everywhere. What a douchebag thing to say, that's like trying to say Atlantic City represents the entire US.

Edit: You must not know very far. I just got back from a well-known locale with its own crime section- good ol TJ.

[Bango Cheito]

ANYWHERE remote in Colombia is "pushing it" in my book, and i LOVE this place, but that is the truth. I don't think it only applies to Colombia either, people have this real fucked up prejudice against the bigger cities and are WAY too cavalier about how dangerous rural areas and some of the smaller towns and cities can really be for strangers especially. If you go to seguridaddemocratica.com it's a REAL eye opener on the way things are here.

I dunno about people really wanting to be like Americans anymore... I think that was true decades ago. Most people here tend to see America as a crumbling empire, and I pretty much agree with them, or I wouldn't be living here permanently to begin with. I wouldn't consider that anti-Americanism either. It's just calling a spade a spade really.