“They know all the tricks”: A Quebecer who survived his kidnapping testifies to the cruelty in Mexico

Like many Canadians in Mexico in recent years, Patrick LaRochelle has fallen victim to petty crime, one of the biggest scourges plaguing this popular travel destination.

“They know everything, it’s done like a business there, he notes. Quebecers need to understand the risks involved when traveling outside of all-inclusives.”

A kidnap survivor who works in the field of artificial intelligence recommends that all travelers turn off biometric authentication features when traveling to another country.

“They want your money, your information and your data. It’s important not to make it easy for them to scan your face or unlock your device using your fingerprint. After that, they can do whatever they want with your stuff, threaten you with a compromising video or empty your bank accounts. Let’s do it.”

In the events he experienced in March 2023, Mr. The second thing that is dangerous for Larocelle is creating a routine.

“Mexicans who turn to crime to survive must not know where to find you,” he says, based on his own terrifying experience.

Wrong place at wrong time

During his first interview Newspaper Last May, Patrick LaRochelle was devastated by what happened to Victor Masson, a young Sacuñayan who was killed in Puerto Escondido while on vacation with his girlfriend.

“It’s a terrible story,” he lamented, visibly moved. “He’s a 27-year-old guy who had his whole life ahead of him and ended up in the wrong place at the wrong time. Sometimes I blame myself for surviving when I see other people aren’t so lucky.”

According to Claude Morin, a retired history professor specializing in Latin America, bad encounters are often the cause of bad luck for tourists.

“Unlike cartels, petty crime is everywhere,” he says. […] This leads to extortion, theft and sometimes murder. We must be aware of the dangers and injustice that reign in Mexico.