I’m being hyperbolic, kinda, but I’d probably feel less threatened approaching a cartel member than an ICE agent.
Edit: If anything at least I’d know the cartel member would have way more probability of being prosecuted if they murdered me than an ICE agent would, who would have probably done so in broad daylight, on camera with dozens of witnesses.
I was in Mexico relatively recently, and had two fairly unusual interactions. Both times, given my luck, cash was being stocked in ATMs and I was there waiting to use it or just walking by in front, while one of the team had a shotgun and the other had an assault rifle (for lack of better knowledge of what they were). Both times they were very professional with my pale ass while I kept my hands visible and slowly moved out of their area of concern. All in all, pretty painless and while I was nervous I didn’t feel threatened at all. This is mostly unrelated, but feeling less threatened in a region with military than locals are with government officials in parts of America still blows my mind.
I’m being hyperbolic, kinda, but I’d probably feel less threatened approaching a cartel member than an ICE agent.
Edit: If anything at least I’d know the cartel member would have way more probability of being prosecuted if they murdered me than an ICE agent would, who would have probably done so in broad daylight, on camera with dozens of witnesses.
I was in Mexico relatively recently, and had two fairly unusual interactions. Both times, given my luck, cash was being stocked in ATMs and I was there waiting to use it or just walking by in front, while one of the team had a shotgun and the other had an assault rifle (for lack of better knowledge of what they were). Both times they were very professional with my pale ass while I kept my hands visible and slowly moved out of their area of concern. All in all, pretty painless and while I was nervous I didn’t feel threatened at all. This is mostly unrelated, but feeling less threatened in a region with military than locals are with government officials in parts of America still blows my mind.