Episode Summary
In this episode of The Expat Files, Johnny Mueller dives into the challenges expats face in Latin America, from customs issues and speed traps to cultural dynamics and the prevalence of vigilante justice. He shares personal anecdotes and real-life examples to highlight the unique difficulties gringos encounter in countries like Mexico and Costa Rica.
Johnny discusses the challenges gringos face when traveling through Latin America, particularly in Mexico and Costa Rica. He shares a story about a friend named Paul who was unfairly targeted during customs in Puerto Vallarta, Mexico, for bringing electronic items over the limit. Johnny explains that while there are limits on electronics, locals often avoid paying taxes by bringing in items like TVs and computers, while gringos are more likely to be caught. He also highlights the issue of speed traps in Costa Rica, where police target gringo rental cars, exploiting their nervousness and the visibility of rental vehicles.
Johnny explains that Costa Rican police target tourists by stopping late-model cars and rentals. He notes that tourists are often nervous during traffic stops due to language barriers and Hollywood movie stereotypes, leading them to pay bribes to avoid missing flights or facing impoundments. He also mentions that in Costa Rica, unpaid traffic tickets are linked to airport systems, meaning tourists can be fined at immigration. Johnny contrasts this with Mexico, where he believes the system is too corrupt and chaotic to implement similar measures. He references a real-life example of a Canadian expat who was fined for bringing multiple electronic devices to Mexico, highlighting the gringo disadvantage in such situations.
The segment discusses the issue of Mexican customs charging tourists for bringing multiple electronic devices, such as laptops, iPads, and cameras, into the country. Johnny explains that Mexico has strict rules regarding the number of personal computing devices allowed, with penalties for exceeding the limits. He highlights that this is not a scam but a legal requirement, and that many travelers have shared similar experiences online. Johnny also touches on the broader cultural context of Latin American attitudes toward wealth and success, particularly among those who have migrated to the U.S. and return home with gifts, often as a way to show off their achievements, while the people back home may not realize the financial strain these individuals are under.
Johnny discusses the challenges expats face in Latin America, particularly in places like Puerto Vallarta and Cancun, where the odds are stacked against them due to the lack of effective law enforcement. He highlights the inefficiency and corruption of the police force, noting that many officers are motivated by financial gain and lack the skills or commitment to combat crime. Johnny also delves into the prevalence of vigilante justice in Latin America, explaining that it's a common response to the ineffectiveness of the legal system. He references a news article from El Mercurio about a violent incident where residents burned a man to death and destroyed vehicles used in a robbery, illustrating the reality of vigilante actions. Johnny concludes by listing the top five countries where vigilante justice is still practiced, including Bolivia, Guatemala, Mexico, Peru, and Ecuador.
The podcast segment discusses the prevalence of lynching in Latin America, particularly in indigenous communities in countries like Guatemala, Bolivia, and Peru. It highlights the role of local communities in enforcing justice due to a lack of trust in the legal system. The segment also touches on the legal framework in Bolivia, which allows for traditional indigenous justice for minor crimes but not for serious offenses like murder or rape.
Episode Notes
Johnny Mueller unpacks the difficulties expats face in Latin America, from customs and speed traps to cultural nuances and the prevalence of vigilante justice. He shares personal stories and real-life examples to highlight the unique challenges gringos encounter in countries like Mexico and Costa Rica.
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Topics
Gringo gouging in Latin America, Customs and electronics limits, Speed traps targeting tourists, Differences in treatment between locals and gringos, Costa Rican police targeting tourists, Language barriers and tourist anxiety, Traffic ticket enforcement linked to airport systems, Corruption and chaos in Mexico's system, Electronic device taxation in Mexico, Mexican customs and electronics restrictions, Tourist experiences with customs, Cultural attitudes toward wealth and success in Latin America
Chapters
00:00:00 Opening 00:00:31 Gringo Gouging in Latin America 00:01:35 What Are They Looking For? 00:03:52 Speed Traps in Costa Rica 00:05:40 Costa Rican Police Target Tourists 00:07:05 Tourists Pay Fines at the Airport 00:11:16 Canadian Expat Fined for Electronic Devices 00:11:31 A Traveler's Experience with Mexican Customs 00:11:58 Understanding Mexico's Electronics Restriction Law 00:13:25 Mexico Gouging Gringos: A Cultural Insight 00:17:54 Vigilante Justice in Latin America 00:22:54 Top Five Countries with Vigilante Justice 00:23:14 Lynching in Indigenous Communities in Latin America 00:23:31 Statistics on Lynching in Guatemala 00:24:28 Lynching Rituals in Indigenous Communities 00:27:03 Traditional Justice in Bolivia
Transcript
Automatically transcribed from the original recording; names and wording may contain errors.
[00:00] South of the border down Mexico way That's where I fell in love when the stars above came out to play and now as I wonder Hello there all you ex-pad wannabes. I'm Johnny Mueller and you're listening to the expat files living in Latin America The show that tells you just what it's like to live work play and or retire down here in Latin America It's a mix of the good the bad the ugly and the great and it's all right here. So let's get started Let's talk a little bit about how gringos get gouged in Latin America You know, it mostly happens on the gringo tours trail, but it can happen anywhere just heard from a gringo buddy of mine named Paul who flew into Puerto Vallarta, Mexico a
[00:46] Victim of the gringo gouge. He said to me Johnny when I was going through immigration getting my passport stamped in a hall Hmm. Did I say in a migration? I like the sound of that. It should be a word Anyway, gringo Paul said as I went to the carousel to pick up my baggage There's a lady standing there official uniform at all and you have to file past her and shore your passport She has a quick look and sends you to one of four lines Now three of those lines have a green light above them and one has a red light What he found out is you want to go through one of those lanes that Scott the green light You don't want to go through the red because if you do They'll do a tear down on you make you open up all your suitcases and rifle through them The green lane or the fast-track lanes. You just walk right on throughout the airport into your car or whatever
[01:35] So then you might wonder what are they looking for when they do that tear down? Well, they're looking for electronic items. You're bringing into Mexico that are over the limit Yeah, they've got a limit on the things you can bring in and if they are over the limit That is you get taxed on them as if you were bringing them in to sell Now the thing is my buddy had an iPhone and two laptops He found out he was over the limit on electronic devices. So they charged him a hundred and twenty three dollars And if he didn't pay up right then they said unfortunately, they'd have to confiscate one of his laptops So he paid up needless to say he said he'll never go back to Mexico again He's still pissed about it. Who knew huh? Well, I didn't know either because I've never been screwed around in that way though
[02:20] I do know there are limits on electronic items. You can bring in through any Latin country Funny thing is I've been to many Latin American airports picking up my luggage You know see a Latino obvious Latino from that country flying in from the States or Canada, whatever Pushing a cart with just a shitload of electronic items flat-screen TVs computers brand new in the box Along with boxes of kitchen appliances video games and somehow they just waltz on out of the airport No one ever asked them to pay any kind of tax at all Even though obviously the whole reason they bought a computer and iPad Flat-screen TV or two up in the States is to avoid buying those items in their home country Paying twice the price because those things are hit with heavy taxes Very heavy taxes. In fact, you can go to Costco down here called price smart and buy a big-screen TV
[03:11] Let's say a 55 inch Samsung for 600 bucks on Amazon You can get the same thing for 300 so what Latino in the States wouldn't want to buy one and try to get it back home Maybe take it on the plane with them. I always thought it's strange and funny watching locals Just whiz right on by with really big items huge TVs, etc Truthfully though bringing electronics through airports never affected me though Sometimes I have two small laptop computers a phone and an iPad though never new one in the box I've carried them through many an airport and no customs or a Duan official has ever given me any crap about it I never thought they would but now it seems in Mexican airports. They're cracking down on it Again, it only seems to be happening in gringo tourist destinations like Mexico and Costa Rica last time
[03:58] I was in Costa Rica They had the same kind of setup a couple of lanes with green lights and one with a red light where they make you Open up and tear down everything now one time I was unlucky and hit the red lane But apparently I was under the limit for electronic stuff and everything else too No taxes no fines just the hassle of unpacking and repacking everything Oh, and of course in Costa Rica, they famously have a number of speed traps set up guess Where to and from the airport now who's going to and from the airport gringos, right? You think the locals are flying in and out all time. Hell No, it's gringos and who has the money to pay the fines not the locals the gringos And you know in Latin America whenever you get a chance you speed I'm talking about going above the speed limit in your car though Most of the times in the city you're going way below the speed limit because the traffic sucks
[04:47] There are times though when you speed you may not want to but sometimes it's a necessity to keep up with the traffic Sometimes you just have to I mean with the motorcycles weaving and guys going the wrong way down a one-way So sometimes you're gonna be over the speed limit in all the years. I've been down here I've never seen anyone get pulled over for speed except in Mexico and Costa Rica Now the cops that set up those speed traps have their choice of pulling over almost anyone Because they are in a location where everyone's speeding almost always were 70 kilometers per hour drops down to 50 or 40 That's the trick and why they call it a speed trap But who do you think they pull over the shit boxes with broken windshields and missing rearview mirrors? Nope, they pull over nice late model cars, especially cars. They know our rentals. They're easy to spot, too
[05:35] They've got certain plate numbers and the cops know that there are rental fleets of certain car models, too And the cops know that so cops pick on late model cars and rentals now, why would that be? That's because gringo tourists drive rentals and tourists are generally so nervous when they get pulled over by a Latin American cop Especially since most tourists well 98% of them anyway don't speak Spanish They're practically crapping their pants thinking they're gonna end up in a Latin American dungeon Like they've seen in so many Hollywood movies They're thinking in the back of their mind that they might get their car impounded too So they're worried about that in any event just think about the strategy here The cops have a speed trap to and from the airport if you get nicked for speeding on the weight of the airport You just might miss your flight or worse
[06:21] So paying a bribe is certainly not gonna be out of the question, right? Gringos are quick to pay up in lieu of missing their flight Now if you happen to get nicked for speeding as you arrive and are leaving the airport It's certainly feasible to pay a bribe because if you don't there goes your vacation and all those nice memories, huh? So that's one strategy cops in Costa Rica use anyway Oh and note in Costa Rica if you get a ticket and don't pay up It's linked to the computers at the airport And as you're going through immigration and getting your passport scanned if you got an outstanding traffic citation You'll pay up right there or you won't be leaving the country And by the way, if you have to pay at the airport, that means you thought you could get away with skipping out on that fine By the way, that's the assumption people make in almost all Latin countries, and it's true
[07:08] You you get a traffic or parking ticket you figure so what and throw it in the glove compartment Why not you'll be in and out and back to Cleveland in no time. Why pay the fine? They'll never know Oh, yes, but they will in Costa Rica They will if you somehow tried to skip out and they get you at the airport You'll pay a fine on top the fine probably end up being twice as much as a ticket itself Thankfully though only Costa Rica seems to be using that system But you got to know since the government collects so much revenue that way it's gonna spread to other countries But most exclusively in gringo tourist areas. It's not gonna happen anywhere else It's not worth it too much trouble too much coordination and too much tech Costa Rica did it because their economy depends on tourists and tourists pay up They've also got the highest transit and parking fines in all of Latin America
[07:57] Talk about the gringo disadvantage, huh, and I'm thinking though It's not gonna come to Mexico soon because Mexico is way too corrupt way too disorganized way too chaotic to get their shit together Like Costa Rica, I don't think they'll ever be able to synchronize non-payment of traffic tickets to immigration control But man, it's easy to nail gringles and expense at the airport when they're carrying excess according to them anyway electronic devices It's not brain surgery. Now. You heard me say that one of my gringo buddies Paul Got nailed at the Puerto Vallarta Airport. Well, he's not the only one. I'm starting to hear other stories are filtering in Matter of fact just a few days ago a regular listener calls himself gringo George sent me an article written by a gringo expat lady living in Mexico on that very same theme on
[08:45] The subject of gringo is getting extorted by Mexican government officials at Mexican airports They're getting nailed for carrying too many electronic devices Listen to this and I'll paraphrase to cut out the boring parts as usual. It starts like this Are you planning a trip to Mexico? You might want to leave some of your electronics at home or pay the price It says with remote work so prevalent in Mexico Many travelers throw an iPad a laptop and other tech essentials into their bag without a second thought However, Mexico has now placed strict limitations on electronic devices that most travelers aren't aware of at all That is until they're hit with a hefty tax bill at immigration checkpoints in the airport Not a great start for the first day of your vacation
[09:33] Goes on to say according to the Mexican Consulate General in Montreal You can look this up online on their official embassy website tourists can bring only one laptop or One notebook or one omnibook or other portable computing device into the country without paying taxes If you exceed these limits and double up on laptops or bring an iPad and a laptop on your trip to Mexico You are liable for hundreds of dollars in taxes when you go through customs at the airport The question is how frequent or infrequently will they enforce that rule? Turns out the article says one of the places most likely for you to get fined is at the Cancun Airport Where travelers are commonly fined for having multiple laptops or iPads
[10:21] It goes on to say well this recent rule is not consistently enforced throughout Mexico There are growing reports of many travelers getting slapped with big tax bills for arriving with too many devices that especially The Cancun International Airport, by the way, it's the airport that by far receives the most foreign travelers Hmm coincidence I think not then the article talks of a real case of a Canadian lady who went on a Cancun vacation With an iPad and a MacBook Pro just last week She was asked to step aside for a bag search as she went through customs What a surprise when the customs agent discovered her two devices. They demanded she pay 3690 Mexican pesos about a hundred ninety dollars US They told her if she did not pay the duty on the laptop. It would be confiscated
[11:11] She signed an official customs form in Spanish and paid the duty with her credit card But the whole ordeal left her so rattled she said she'd never go back to Mexico again It was not an experience she ever had and traveling throughout the rest of Latin America Nor when traveling to Mexico with electronic devices in the past at first She was hesitant to give up her credit card numbers thinking it was an airport scam Then she realized these were all uniformed custom officials. She was dealing with Unfortunately, the article says many other travelers have shared similar stories on reddit and flyer talk reports of being charged ridiculous fees For having two laptops an iPhone or laptop and an iPad, etc. Etc With none having realized Mexico has an electronics
[11:58] Restriction law in place who knew it's not posted anywhere Did you know that I didn't it says in certain Mexican airports, especially Mexican touristy airports Customs is strict about your gadget count You're allowed just one tax exempt portable computing device per person that doesn't just include laptops Your iPad is considered a portable computing device. The limits don't stop there You are also limited to no more than two cameras or camcorders three cell phones one GPS device two musical instruments one pair of binoculars and one set of portable speakers as Tax-free item exceed those limits and you will face a nineteen percent duty on the estimated value of your device
[12:43] the estimated new cost of your extra device and Mexican Customs has an instant lookup archive from whatever device you might bring in That could add up to 200 bucks for an iPad Pro or 300 to 400 for a Macbook book depending on the model Suffice it to say getting hit with a big tax bill on your laptop As soon as you land is not a good way to start your vacation But it's not a scam or something unique to Mexico until now the country's tourists were never bothered The problem is Mexico has its own twist to charges duty if you bring more than one personal computing device Even if it's for personal use and not for resale, but tourists don't seem to be aware of it at all Talk about Mexico gouging gringos every which way they can
[13:29] Even if you're a seasoned traveler and fly back and forth to Mexico all the time In other words, you're spending lots and lots of tourist dollars. They'll still gouge you because they know you're good for it It doesn't matter as long as you're an American or a Canadian tourist. You're a target For example, you can listen to Grammy Award-winning singer John Mayer Share his own personal experience on how he got gouged by Mexican customs on his additional laptop It doesn't matter. He does concerts in Latin America and employs many Mexicans while on tour You can hear him rant about the unfairness of it all on a recent Cyrus XM radio show just do a search You'll find it by the way as a caveat You'll find plenty of travelers online who claim Mexico's laptop rule is a myth never happened to them that they breeze through customs with an entire
[14:19] Best buys worth of devices. Hey, I've seen people do that not Mexico But another Latin American countries like for example Panama Guatemala, El Salvador It seems to be an absolute favorite pastime and a must buying electronic stuffs cheap up in the states and bringing it down For Latin Americans who can travel back and forth to the states You know Latin Americans with some kind of job there or a visa or dough Why do you think wealthy Latin Americans take so many trips back and forth to my jammy man? I'm telling you wealthy Latinas, especially I'm always hearing them say things to their friends and family like We're going to my jammy next week. You don't want me to bring anything back for you I've had a few Latino and Latina friends even say that to me It's a classist thing really a backhanded gesture
[15:06] It's sort of a way to stick the knife in and turn it a little bit a jab at their less wealthy friends family and neighbors Latin Americans could be a jealous and envious bunch Especially if there's one person in the family who made it big especially if he snuck into the states and made it big The people at home end up having a love-hate relationship with the guy or gal Because he's always shoving his good fortune in their face with all kinds of selfies, etc With his house his cars his trip to Disney World, you know stupid shit like that But it really impresses the folks back home at the same time. They feel a little pain You know, why did he win the American Dream lottery and not me sure they like that one of their own has made it But they secretly would like to see him knocked out a peg or two at least quit posting all those selfies
[15:54] But what the folks back home don't recognize is that these guys are mostly frauds sure They've got a decent house and a nice car, etc, etc But they're on a different kind of treadmill the first world us treadmill We've all been there before jacked up to the limit in monthly payments Drowning and credit card debt and most of the motivation for that is to show the folks back home that they're a big success I've seen that syndrome with Latin American families many times the boy wonder who did good up in the states Especially around Christmas time and the holidays he or she or they take a trip back home because hell they're legal now, right? You know, they've got a business or whatever up in the states most successful Latinos who came in illegally eventually do get green cards So traveling back and forth, it's no problem. They all arrived from the states bearing gifts
[16:42] Then when they arrive like the conquering hero They brag about their good fortune and everyone sits around in awe and wonder Listening to him spin his tails about the glories of living the American dream But what the folks back home don't realize is that it's all a show that their hometown hero Juanito living in New Jersey now is Actually stretched out to the max and will be paying for that trip and all the gifts on the long-term payment plan The poor folks back home don't know that and the boy wondered never lets on That would pop the bubble in the charade, but I digress as usual. Where were we? Oh, yeah talking about getting nicked at the customs window in Mexico Oh, if you've got more than one laptop now again, it's true that customs officers. Don't search every bag depends on the lane
[17:28] You're directed to You could get luck in sale through but if you're in Puerto Vallarta Cancun or other big tourist spot as of well quite recently if you're a gringo tourist The odds are stacked against you and at the airport. There are cameras everywhere. So there's no one to bribe Funny how they don't treat their own native Latinos the same way as they treat a screen goes Wouldn't that be nice? Well, it ain't gonna happen Alright switching gears in vigilante news. Yeah, we love hearing about vigilantes. Don't we? You know Latin America's full of them I know I know at first glance it seems sort of rude and crude the people taking justice into their own hands Well, why do you think they do that? Let's get real. It's because the police are lard ass shit for brains in Latin America
[18:14] People do not join the police force to fight crime and impart justice. Nope. Those two reasons are not commonly stated Yeah, I've seen independent surveys of actual Latin American policemen patrolmen beat cops and transit cops When asked the simple question, why did you want to become a cop top five reasons? It's a steady paycheck you get to wear a uniform by the way middle and lower class latina women Love a guy in uniform and even for women cops people respect you because you've got a uniform and you're carrying a gun The other top reasons you practically can't get fired and you don't need any special skills So in fact, you can be pretty much a moron or an idiot because here in Latin America Anyway, you just need a high school education to apply Which is why you rarely see a Latin American cop stick his neck out for anyone
[19:03] And if you need to dial up the police for help, they'll generally show up But it could be hours if not days later Like expat Eddie says if you really needed a cop oftentimes it's better not to call because you'll just get put on hold It might just keep ringing with no one ever picking up better to walk to the nearest corner police station and go from there Another reason that here in Latin America You've got certain amount of vigilante justice is because once the cops do catch someone Oftentimes the case doesn't go to court for months if not years Hmm sound familiar and once the trial comes It's a sure bet that some of the witnesses won't show up because they may have moved on and relocated as far away as Cleveland or Chicago, hmm seems Latinos moving to the states is a very popular option these days
[19:49] I wonder why but seriously rounding up witnesses for a trial a year or two after the fact is a pretty tough thing to do Here in Latin America, especially one big reason is people are closed mouth about such things and don't like to testify Owen there's something else do recall in most all Latin American countries. There is no door-to-door Federal mail service, so how are you gonna get notified even if the court knows your address? So like it or not, especially in small towns out in the boonies Vigilante justice occasionally rears its ugly head. I have to say it's quite a sight very exciting A lot of yelling a lot of adrenaline never saw it myself first hand But I've talked to people who were there right on the ground in the thick of it They say you're sort of sucked into the whole spectacle
[20:34] Hey, it's human nature Remember in the old days of hangings people would show up and make a picnic out of it same thing in Paris France with the guillotine Very popular entertainment for the hoi polloi of course that that was then we're much more sophisticated now in the 21st century, right? Or are we tell me what you think after hearing me read this article from El Mercurio one of the biggest Latin American newspapers It says the body of a man burned after participating in an attempt to rob an ATM machine Was left in the middle of the street on Tuesday burned to death Two vehicles used by the gang implicated in the attempted robbery were also burned to a crisp by residents living in the area It goes on to say the residents also managed to hold five Delinquents who were saved from lynching by the way when they stone or burn or hang someone they generally just call it a lynching
[21:26] Though it's not necessarily you with a rope around the neck So when you hear that word it could be someone was stoned or burned or beaten to death Anyway, it goes on to say Alex Trujillo chief cop of subzone number three said they were alerted in the morning Saturday by a 911 Call reporting a group of people trying to rob an ATM Police went to the site. We're not allowed to get close the residents blocked their path It says along with the person who is burned to death five suspects were being held by the community and finally saved by the police Five were arrested two had long criminal histories So that's the way it goes here in Latin America. Just a little snippet of news from out in the boonies The question is what would you do if you were visiting a small town?
[22:12] You heard a ruckus outside and saw the townspeople beating burning or hanging someone. I know what you'd be thinking selfie time, right? Hey ma. Hey pa having a great time. Wish you were here Somehow I don't think so, but maybe personally I had stay in my room and wait till it blew over Not that you're ever gonna witness something like that I've been down here 30 plus years and I haven't but it happens enough So that pops up in the news every couple of weeks and sometimes it happens and it doesn't make the news at all Bad publicity for local cops politicians in the mayor so they keep a lid on it now I know we are in the 21st century, but still vigilante justice is still common in some Latin American countries Now here's the top five Latin American countries where vigilante justice is still practiced
[22:59] Bolivia Guatemala Mexico Peru and Ecuador by the way Statistics show that Bolivia is the official number one most common Latin American country for vigilante justice with about 70 lynching attacks per year Almost all taking place outside of the big cities in the small towns and boonies number two on that list Guatemala We're again virtually all those lynchings have taken place in the mostly indigenous small towns out in the boonies according to Latin American Human Rights Watch 56 people died in Guatemala last year due to lynchings. That would be either stoned beaten burnt or hung with 481 people lynched but not killed generally saved just barely by the police who often arrived way too late
[23:46] according to human rights stats Robbery and theft committed by repeat offenders are the most common crimes that result in lynching Although pedophiles rapists and murderers are treated especially rough. Hmm. So That seems fair doesn't it just you know thinking out loud here? It says especially with pedophiles rapists and murderers There's a macabre Ritual taken place in which the subject is dragged to the town square where the lynching takes place in front of everyone by the way There's a little interview here with Freddie Toreko the official public prosecutor for Go to Bamba in Central Bolivia the place with the most number of lynchings in all of Latin America He said it almost always occurs in indigenous communities that ends with the person being burned alive or hanged
[24:34] But he says there's another part to the ritual death usually only comes after the mob has first abused the victim for hours Often stripping beating or whipping him or her during the process He says the victim is frequently tied up sometimes with barbed wire He says lynching is notoriously hard to prosecute to Toreko says his office is still investigating 12 fatal lynchings that occurred in 2014 10 years after the fact but has yet to have any convictions people just won't talk they won't testify Toreko admits almost no lynchings are ever resolved in court he says there are just too many people involved including the instigators and the perpetrators and Once the lynching is over everyone disappears, and there's a code of silence the community closes ranks
[25:22] They go on as if it never happened Indigenous communities are like they very close-mouthed unwilling to give any information to the police Unfortunately, he says the whole community becomes complicit through its silence because everyone knows who did it who instigated it But no one opens up the article says it's no coincidence The trend appears to be most deeply rooted in Peru Bolivia Guatemala and Ecuador The Latin American nations with the highest proportions of indigenous people though many so-called experts believe the lynching has nothing to do with native or traditional justice Blaming as mentioned before the authorities failure to deliver justice with Widespread governmental ineptitude and corruption people just take the law in their own hands He says the population especially the indigenous population has lost all confidence in the police
[26:11] There have just been too many cases of the institutions systematically violating human rights of Indigenous people so it has no credibility with them Toreko says especially when a crime is committed in a far-out indigenous community a crime such as robbery There's often no response by the police or a very slow and ineffective response Most crimes are never resolved, but the local population knows who the criminals are That's why repeat offenders especially with rape and robbery will often face vigilante justice in some cases He says the police are present at the lynching and do not stop it It's not that the police will permit lynchings, but sometimes they're just completely outnumbered Often knowing themselves that the victim and the perpetrators are getting justice that could never come through the courts
[27:00] Oh, and here's something I bet you didn't know I didn't know this either Did you know that Bolivia actually allows native justice? They allow traditional justice among indigenous communities outside of the regular judicial system But even Bolivia's traditional justice system among indigenous communities only allows the locals to apply their kind of justice with relatively minor crimes They're supposed to hand over murder rape and armed robbery suspects to the regular courts though The police admit that does not always happen You've been listening to the expat files living in latin america If you need some help with your own plan b we can schedule a one-on-one phone or skype consult Just send me an email the expat files at gmail.com
[27:45] And if you want to get on the waiting list for my next week-long expat insider seminar in central america Where you're guaranteed to get a two to five year head start on your plan b send me an email the expat files at gmail.com nos pamos