How come so many people say to avoid the big cities in Latin America due to crime problems?

How come so many people say to avoid the big cities in Latin America such as Lima Peru or Buenos Aires Argentina or Mexico City Mexico or Bogota Colombia, etcl due to crime? What about it do they want you to avoid, besides pickpockets? What are the common dangers?

Public Comments

1. Mexico and Columbia LEAD THE WORLD IN KIDNAPPINGS FOR RANSOM... is THAT a big enough danger for you? It's been estimated that in Mexico alone about 5000 PEOPLE are kidnapped every year... but the actual figures are hard to come by since all but a very few are ever reported... same for Columbia BIG CITIES... HAVE POVERTY.. and POVERTY leads to CRIME and much of that crime is not getting VIOLENT.
2. The drug wars in Mexico and Colombia aside, the cities in Latin America are not any different than most big cities in the world. There are certain areas in any city you need to avoid for your own safety. Barrios, neighborhoods, where poverty leads to desperation, which leads to crime, including begging, pickpockets, scams, robbery, gangs and ultimately violence. Many people in rural areas are very poor as well, but most are able to eke out a meager living from the land, are accustomed to helping one another, even strangers, and are much more amiable.
3. there are lots of robberies, kindnappers, but it doesnt mean you will get robbed only if you go to the bad parts of the city
4. Peeps in Latin America (most of the world really) hate evil Americans and want to kill them so, it's best to avoid those places.
5. Those are the capitals and I dont think you will have a problem, just be street smart and be on tourist areas usually middle class areas. Don't go to the barrios and you should be fine. I go to Lima, Peru every year and I have a great time. Lima is visited by millions of tourists every year who stay there couple days and then go to Machupichu, I mean, you are not going to be the only one there. same goes to Buenos Aires, I can not speak for Mexico city nor Bogota because they seem more dangerous to me. Yes be street smart, don't show jewerly and dollars with a sign saying "take my money". In Lima, you won't have problems at all.
6. I went to Peru when I was 15 and walked around with my cousin who is about 11 years older than me. Although she was already older, we looked like two teenagers wandering the streets. Nothing happened to us, just don't present yourself like a tourist. Don't wear anything flashy and don't carry a lot of money. If you try to blend in with the natives, crime will over look you.
7. Statistics don't specify that most kidnapping is drug-dealing related (in Mexico) or in the case of Colombia, it has to do with very rich persons who refuse to pay "protection money" to the mobsters and foreigners who travel by road in dangerous regions. And these two, are the Worst Case Scenario you'll encounter in Latin America. Generally is safe to go to any Latin American capital as long as you inform yourself well with your travel agent. And one normal mistake that everyone thinks is that poberty is the only reason, but the real reason is the corruption and inmorality that goes around in our culture at all levels, that plus a poor education. In the provinces were the poorest people live, the crime rate is much lower.