How Mexicans treat Black expats in Mérida? Mexico, as a whole, is a kind and welcoming place. From Baja California to Quintana Roo, Mexico City, and the Yucatán, the people are consistently respectful toward foreigners. But in Mérida specifically, it goes even further—people are genuinely warm and hospitable.
Locals in Mérida greet you daily with a “Buenos días!” or “Buenas tardes!” They acknowledge your presence and show a level of respect and consideration that is noticeably different from the tension-filled environment in the U.S.
Mexicans, in general, treat everyone kindly—whether you’re Black, White, Canadian, European, Latino, or another nationality. But what stands out is that they do not carry the racial hostility that is deeply ingrained in American culture. There is no automatic suspicion, no microaggressions, no racial hierarchy that Black people have to navigate daily.
One interesting reality is that Mexicans are very aware of global dynamics, including Black history. Many Uber drivers and locals have shared that they do not like the gentrification and colonization happening in their country by White Americans. They express frustration that White expats cause problems, drive up prices, and act entitled. They’ll take their money, but they don’t like how that group operates.
However, this attitude does not extend to Black Americans. In fact, locals are often excited to practice their English with Black expats and are genuinely interested in engaging.
The negative narratives about Mexico that circulate on TikTok and social media are lies—they are either misinformed people looking for likes or government-backed scare tactics designed to deter Black Americans from leaving the U.S. The truth is, when people lose faith in a country, they flee. And when a country loses its people, it loses power, military strength, and economic influence.
For boots-on-the-ground reality, after over a year in Mexico—across Baja, Mexico City, Quintana Roo, and Mérida—the experience has been overwhelmingly positive. The locals are some of the most welcoming people on earth.
And here’s something you’ll notice—people who live in places with dirt roads, wild fruit trees, and a connection to nature tend to be the kindest people. It’s only in consumer-driven, toxic, industrialized nations like the U.S. where people are mentally sick, drugged up, and living in fear of each other. That isn’t reality for the rest of the world.