Nuevo Laredo

[RikyMichaels7]

Made a right turn in a taxi out of the Zona Friday night and at the 1st stoplight were about 20 dudes with various weaponry checking cars and God knows what else. Taxi driver rolled down his window, they looked at me and waived us on. Scared the crap out of me. Glad I wasn't driving with Texas plates. Now I am rethinking ever going back to the Zona. First time I ever experienced this in many years.

[Gringo2]

What's the latest on the Rio Grande Plaza Hotel in Laredo?

[Bbond]

I would say that 30% to 40% of the people in NL have Texas plates, it's just another scam, they are not from Texas and some of them have never set foot in Texas. Same is true for Reynosa and probably all the other Mexican border towns. So I do not think the bad guys will target you just because you have Texas plates. In addition that YouTube video could have been any number of things, and it didn't look to me like it was random, could be wrong though, so as long as you don't get somebody pissed off at you, you shouldn't have any problems.

I have seen Texas plates for sale in the pulgas. Also, probably another 20%, or more, of the cars here, have no plates at all. Once in a while they will stop people for wrong or no plates, but it is just to extort them. Supposedly it is illegal for a Mexican resident here to own or drive a car with foreign plates, but there are many. I used to get stopped by the transitos, in my Texas plated car. Especially at night, never arrested, but paid some minor bribes, when I knew I was wrong, like drunk, or heavy drinking.

[Bbond]

Hi Bbond,

The home is priced at about 16,000 USD. I was wondering if you know of nice but modest homes that can can be bought for a similar amount of money but in better neighborhoods where people don't abandon their homes? Or is the average home owner better off living in a gated community? Are there gated communities in Nuevo Laredo that you know of? Thanks.

I know of a few gated places, but not many, some are quite nice, but away from the centro area. Real estate prices here are insanely high.

[Slick Willie]

Hi Bbond,

I found this video (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NdM8wAmckHk) on you tube, I was wondering if you can take a look (about 3 minutes long) and give me your opinion about safety when driving a Texas car into Nuevo Laredo these days. It basically shows how the new cartel is robbing people at gun point while driving their cars and how they primarily target cars with Texas license plates. This took place just a few months ago. When I saw it, I started having second thoughts about fulfilling my dream of driving my car into Nuevo Laredo and hanging out on weekends there.

Thanks.

Actually Colonia Madero is one of the nicest areas in Nuevo Laredo, with Paseo Colon and its mansions right smack dab in the middle of it, but you can have problems there if you don't watch it.

In the good old days, ca. 2010, on Saturday mornings I used to get off the Mirador bus after a night of mongering in the zona near the corner of Reforma and Campeche in colonia Madero and then walk down Campeche to Ruiz Cortines and take a right to the Juega why Juega casino. That was sort of a power walk type of thing to get me ready for an afternoon of sports betting, and then back to the zona for Sat night. Anyhow in Nuevo Laredo they had picked up on the garage sale thing from us, and on Sat mornings there were tons of them in Colonia Madero as well as everywhere else in NL. One time I actually got accused of stealng stuff from one of the garage sales (and NO I did not steal anything) and the pimp in charge threatened to call the police and made me empty out all my pockets, (probably he was an off duty police officer himself). When I told him where I was going though (Juega why Juega) he turned tail and ran. I wonder why.

Incidentally that guy had Texas plates on his car. He chased me with it while I was running. Er walking away, and that's how I noticed. I would say that 30% to 40% of the people in NL have Texas plates, it's just another scam, they are not from Texas and some of them have never set foot in Texas. Same is true for Reynosa and probably all the other Mexican border towns. So I do not think the bad guys will target you just because you have Texas plates. In addition that YouTube video could have been any number of things, and it didn't look to me like it was random, could be wrong though, so as long as you don't get somebody pissed off at you, you shouldn't have any problems, And just remember to always pay for everything you get at a garage sale and that includes pussy (and yes, you can meet some super hot girls, mostly non-putas, at the garage sales in Colonia Madero, and it's a hell of a lot more fun than hanging out with those crackheads in the bars downtown).

[Zygomatic]

Hi Bbond,

I was just looking at this recent youtube video (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=s-GKlhFKH4U&t=0s) where someone who appears to be a real estate official is promoting a home for sale in one of those bad neighborhoods (Colonia El Campanario) where there are many homes abandoned. The home is priced at about 16,000 USD. I was wondering if you know of nice but modest homes that can can be bought for a similar amount of money but in better neighborhoods where people don't abandon their homes? Or is the average home owner better off living in a gated community? Are there gated communities in Nuevo Laredo that you know of?

Thanks.

[Zygomatic]

That can happen anywhere, I have driven here 10 years, never had a problem. I know several others that drive here frequently. I have known one guy that did, his truck was taken, but later recovered. If you watch your surroundings, leave yourself an out, it is not likely to happen. Criminals are taking advantage, to some extent, to the lack of police presence right now. There are very few policia or traffic cops roaming the streets. Some, yes, but not many. The colonia, where this video was taken is an area that should be avoided, especially at night. But the criminals are not limited to night robberies as the video clearly shows.

I agree Bbond, If I leave myself an out such as driving on the main streets where it would be difficult for 2 or 3 cars to box another car in then I should be OK. That maneuver the criminals did took 2 or 3 cooperative cars to pull off. Your advice is the same advice that I was given when I stayed at an airbnb in Monterrey, I. E. "Stick to the main roads and you should be okay". Yes, there is a need to venture into risky streets from time to time but that is when Nuevo Laredo becomes a riskier town due to the criminal elements along the border. Thanks.

[Bbond]

Hi Bbond,

I found this video (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NdM8wAmckHk) on you tube, I was wondering if you can take a look (about 3 minutes long) and give me your opinion about safety when driving a Texas car into Nuevo Laredo these days. It basically shows how the new cartel is robbing people at gun point while driving their cars and how they primarily target cars with Texas license plates. This took place just a few months ago. When I saw it, I started having second thoughts about fulfilling my dream of driving my car into Nuevo Laredo and hanging out on weekends there.Thanks.

That can happen anywhere, I have driven here 10 years, never had a problem. I know several others that drive here frequently. I have known one guy that did, his truck was taken, but later recovered. If you watch your surroundings, leave yourself an out, it is not likely to happen. Criminals are taking advantage, to some extent, to the lack of police presence right now. There are very few policia or traffic cops roaming the streets. Some, yes, but not many. The colonia, where this video was taken is an area that should be avoided, especially at night. But the criminals are not limited to night robberies as the video clearly shows.

[Zygomatic]

Hi Bbond,

I found this video (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NdM8wAmckHk) on you tube, I was wondering if you can take a look (about 3 minutes long) and give me your opinion about safety when driving a Texas car into Nuevo Laredo these days. It basically shows how the new cartel is robbing people at gun point while driving their cars and how they primarily target cars with Texas license plates. This took place just a few months ago. When I saw it, I started having second thoughts about fulfilling my dream of driving my car into Nuevo Laredo and hanging out on weekends there.

Thanks.

[SubComm]

Here in ATX too. Planning something soon just to busy with life and work. Early next year works for me.

I am in ATX as well and would be interested in going and hanging with some fellow mongers in NL. I have not been to NL to monger in a long time. I speak Spanish and have spent a lot of time in the usual places. Medellin, Costa Rica and Se Asia.

Lets put together a date in Jan.

[Bbond]

Yes Bbond, those were the 2 guys I was talking about. Before Carlos became a crack addict, he was a much better version of himself. RIP, the shrimp vendor was a really nice guy and he was rolling in the dough with that shrimp stand.

The shrimp guy was a good friend of my GF, when we heard he had been killed we went looking, at the funeral places, to confirm it. We then contacted the owner of the stand, the guy running it was just renting it. When we found the body at a funeral place, they would not let us in to see, they took GF's phone and photographed him so she could confirm it was indeed him.

[Bbond]

Just thought I would share this video (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mKWFOPv3JQk) that shows the top 6 neighborhoods where people abandon their homes. At one time, I'm sure these homes were the pride of many people. I don't mean to shine a negative light on Nuevo Laredo but I didn't know that people were abandoning their homes like this. I think that many attractive women probably abandoned their posts in Nuevo Laredo also.

Those houses are the cracker box neighborhoods they slap up and sell to people that can't afford them. Then there is little or no bus service. Both reasons the people just stop paying and move away. Some areas even give free electricity for a period of time, when that time is up, they don't want to pay so they leave. Those were the 6 worse almost the entire area is abandoned, there are several more areas. All are set up out in the sticks, really terrible places to live.

[Zygomatic]

And. Jorochos is across Calle Hidalgo from the Herradura. The shrimp guy, Juanito, that had a stand on the corner across from Herradura, was killed a few years back when the violence was heavy in centro. Maybe like 5-6 years ago. The other guy you mention, was probably Carlos, if it was, he died of cancer. The Not many girls in the bars. Many just hang outside.

Yes Bbond, those were the 2 guys I was talking about. Before Carlos became a crack addict, he was a much better version of himself. RIP, the shrimp vendor was a really nice guy and he was rolling in the dough with that shrimp stand. The bad guys probably want to charge him a ridiculous amount of money just to operate his successful business on that corner. Thanks.

[Bbond]

Just thought I would share this video (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mKWFOPv3JQk) that shows the top 6 neighborhoods where people abandon their homes. At one time, I'm sure these homes were the pride of many people. I don't mean to shine a negative light on Nuevo Laredo but I didn't know that people were abandoning their homes like this. I think that many attractive women probably abandoned their posts in Nuevo Laredo also.

Bbond, is Jarochos in the same building where La Herradura was or across the street? I remember picking up and seeing some good talent there back in the good days. There used to be a guy selling shrimp Cocktails who became a good buddy of mine. I met another good buddy who would run errands with me and show me around town. It was worth paying for his services and thought of him as a bodyguard also. How things have changed. That area is so close to the Fiesta Hotel that made the experience so convenient to stay at the Fiesta Hotel and be able to look at all the working girls from your hotel room balcony. Bbond, are the girls usually inside the bar or do they walk around the streets? Do you think there will be activity the weekend before the new year?Thanks.

And. Jorochos is across Calle Hidalgo from the Herradura. The shrimp guy, Juanito, that had a stand on the corner across from Herradura, was killed a few years back when the violence was heavy in centro. Maybe like 5-6 years ago. The other guy you mention, was probably Carlos, if it was, he died of cancer. The Not many girls in the bars. Many just hang outside.

[wileycoyote1]

Hope to see you soon. Bbond it seen to be the same. I could use a little help. I thing about using the bus for first time how is bad is service from Austin to Laredo. Thanks old man.

Here in ATX too. Planning something soon just to busy with life and work. Early next year works for me.