Trouble Brewing in Mexico

Mexico is an awesome place to go cruising on the west coast.  Beautiful anchorages, warm and friendly locals and abundant wildlife.  About a month ago, a new division of the Mexican IRS descended on a dozen marinas to make sure everyone had their paperwork in order.  If you did not, or you were not on your boat, or if they could not find the HIN numbers, your boat got impounded for up to four months.  Apparently, over 300 boat have been impounded.  To say that active boat owners who's only mistake was to not be on their boat during a random inspection are upset, would not begin to paint a true picture of the frustration these owners are experiencing.  They cannot legally leave the dock at this time.  Cruises to other parts of the world and in Mexico have had to be put on hold as the owners hope someone will intervene and change this outrageous policy.  I hope for Mexico and the owners of these boats, that they resolve this issue in short order.  Someone described Mexico as a country of whims.  This whim needs to be over ...and quickly before Mexico shoots themselves in the foot and ruins nautical tourism.

From Latitude 38:
 We're hoping and praying, for the sake of all cruisers in Mexico and potential cruisers to Mexico, as well as all the nautical tourism businesses — and the owners of impounded boats — that Mexico puts an end to this self-destructive insanity immediately. And furthermore, that they give assurances that similar episodes won't happen again. Mexico has steadily been making life easier and more attractive for cruisers, so let's hope this is an aberration, not the start of a really horrible phase.