Bills Over Bullets

Conventional wisdom holds that crime -- especially, violent crime -- and a general sense of insecurity is bad for business. Investors are wary of putting their money in dangerous or unstable places.

Well, apparently not.

Mexico's well-publicized drug wars haven't had a significant impact on foreign investments, particularly from the U.S. The numbers seem to show that American plants already in Mexico not only have no intention of leaving, but are getting ready to expand their operations. In spite of all those kidnappings and killings on a daily basis, cheap labor and other costs are still economically advantageous. As long as it's profitable to do business there, those companies are willing to risk it.

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