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.
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.