Visa Row Erupts Over Trapped Cavers (Brits Entered Mexico Illegally)

Ananova ^ | 3-24-2004

[Xenalyte]

The planned three-day underground expedition by Britain's Combined Services -- which includes members of the Army, Navy and Air Force -- stretched into a second week of entrapment as flood waters fed by incessant rains continued to block the cave's entrance.

The story alleges that these guys are divers.

Divers dive into water, or I've been sorely misinformed.

Why do they not swim out?

[TankerKC]

I understand the irony of this. But, could it be that Fox’s real problem here is the possibility that these are military forces, and not mere tourists. The article doesn’t make it clear.

[Xenalyte]

Okay, the story doesn't allege that. A local newscaster kept characterizing them as divers.

[DumpsterDiver]

"I have instructed the Minister of Foreign Relations to take immediate action and file a note of protest, and demand a clarification from the English government about why these individuals are in Mexico," President Fox told reporters...

"I have instructed the State Department to take immediate action and file a note of protest, and demand a clarification from the Mexican government about why these individuals are in the United States," President Bush told reporters...

In my dreams!!

[DumpsterDiver]

I should've read your post first. See my post 24.

[spodefly]

Fox said the crux of the issue was that the Britons had entered on tourist visas.

Hey Fox -- when 12 million Britons show up with NO visas and start using your schools and hospitals and social services, then I may pretend to care.

[dougherty]

the Britons apparently entered Mexico without permits or proper visas. President Vicente Fox ordered a letter of protest sent to the British government and demanded an explanation,

This SOB has some nerve.

[Marine Inspector]

Ping.

[11th Earl of Mar]

the Britons apparently entered Mexico without permits or proper visas. President Vicente Fox ordered a letter of protest sent to the British government and demanded an explanation

Now he knows how we feel. Except multiply it by two million each year.

[11th Earl of Mar]

Maybe the Brits should demand Mexico include them in their Social Security plan.

[river rat]

If anyone in our State Department had balls, they would demand an explanation on how 15 million Mexican citizens bypassed their border - and entered our country illegally...

If they refuse to answer, and to recover their citizens....President Bush should recall our Ambassador and END DIPLOMATIC RELATIONS, CLOSE our borders to ALL traffic and suspend NAFTA agreements until compliance..

Semper Fi

[Liberty Valance]

It's not about Visas, it's about money and now it will be about even more money. The only language of the Mexican govt.

[blam]

British Team Trapped For Six Days By Floods In Mexico Cave

[againstallhope]

Mad dogs and englishmen!

I think it's more about national character. I'd posit that it may be difficult for Mexicans to understand the psychology of your typical Brit. A brief scan of british history suggests that Brits are prone to dangerous and insane ventures, like taking over India, actually trying to do the same to Afghanistan, and half of malarial Africa. Mexicans are very hardy too, as tough as the Brits, and ten times tougher than your typical American, but Mexicans don't actively look for trouble: they dare death by trekking across the desert for days so that can make it up to a crappy job in some canning factory in Washington state or a coffee shop in Chicago. Drop into the middle of Borneo somewhere, and odds are you'll find some rabid and feverish British kid with a backpack moving on to the next outpost. What drives him? Most likely the crappy weather back home. I don't think the Mexicans can understand the mentality. They think there has to be another motive. In the same way, Cortez's troops were the first ones to climb Mt. Popocatepetl. I can' remember the altitude -- maybe around 17,000. Of course, the Aztecs and the other tribes didn't think they were supposed to climb it as it would offend the Gods, but the Spanish come along and see that mountain and there was only one thing to do, rational or not, climb the damn thing. Cortez and his crew were the toughest and craziest people in history. Most Mexicans consider that kind of behaviour as irrational. There's a disconnect.