Blog Post Provided By Aaronson Law Firm
Despite travel warnings and concerns regarding security and crime, Mexico has overtaken Turkey as the eighth most popular tourist destination, according to the World Tourism Organization (UNWTO).
The challenge for US citizens vacationing in Mexico is not just the risk of exposure to crime. Legal regulation of the timeshare industry, which is already lax in the US, is even looser in Mexico. For example, frequently during the course of a timeshare sales pitch copious free alcohol will be offered and consumed so as to weaken the defenses of the hapless patron. Purchasers often complain about the lack of availability of resort facilities, and substandard amenities compared to what was promised.
From a purely legal standpoint, although US licensed attorneys don’t have direct jurisdiction over Mexican developers, we do have the ability to sue their domestic servicing agents. Often these will have a buy-back arrangement with their Mexican counterparts requiring expatriation of the account in the event of exposure to liability. An account that is not domesticated in the U.S. cannot be enforced here. This gives us leverage in dealing with these cases, and we’ve often had success in this regard.
