This Ugly American Takes the Cake for Worst US Export

It’s Hard to Be an Uglier “Expat” Than This — Disrespect, Displacement, Assault, Environmental Destruction, and Potential Illegality

Photo credit: Tribuna de la Bahia. Desc: Image of the woman in question.

Originally published on Medium - Medium members, go clap it up and comment! Free for you, $$ for me.

Future emigrants from the USA — this is a case study in how not to behave in your new home. In fact, it’s a case study in how not to behave anywhere, ever. As someone who limits my client roster to those who intentionally emigrate with their impacts in mind, I couldn’t have made up a story that so egregiously exemplifies the Ugly American behavior that I work to discourage. I didn’t have to.

First, let me start with the following: the article which I am amplifying with this post came from a verified local Mexican newspaper, La Tribuna de la Bahia, and was written by journalist Israel Torres. I was unable to find contact information for Torres, but I thank him for covering this. The article is in Spanish, and I have included an AI-generated English translation here for my readers’ convenience (and because I am super tired from a weekend trip and cannot muster a translation right now).

The purpose here is not to promote doxxing or anything of the sort, but to 1. provide evidence that such Ugly Americans do in fact exist and are worse than most people think 2. provide an example with explanation as to why this behavior is so absolutely destructive. Here is the article link:

https://tribunadelabahia.com.mx/gringa-corre-mexicanos-san-pancho/

In English:

““Gringa” chases Mexicans off the beach in San Pancho, causing outrage

Citizens report abuse by a foreigner who claims to own the beach; her property is closed.

Israel Torres

April 23, 2025

Photo credit: Tribuna de la Bahia. Desc: Image of the woman in question and her construction sites.

A family living in Bahía de Banderas reported having been verbally assaulted and had their belongings stolen by a foreign woman, presumably an American, who claimed to own a concession on San Pancho beach, where they went a few days ago to spend time with their family.

According to the testimony, the woman, approximately 60 years old, upon seeing them installed in front of her property — where she is currently building several homes (emphasis added) and which even has a tarp covering it — approached angrily, kicked one of the members’ drinks, and demanded that they leave the area.

‘Suddenly, a friend left his drink on the sand. Suddenly, an American woman and her husband appeared and kicked my friend’s drink. I asked her to respect it. She replied that we didn’t have to be there because she had paid for the concession and that we had to leave.’

Although they tried not to give in to the aggression, the foreigner continued harassing them. They decided to record the moment because of the discomfort it caused them, pointing out that the woman acted as if she owned the beach, forgetting that beaches are national property open to the public (emphasis added).

“He shouted at us in a way that made it seem like we were enemies. Of course, we didn’t leave, but what he did make clear to us is that once his house was finished, he wouldn’t let anyone near his property or even pass within the boundaries of his concession ,” they added.

(*Note: pronouns are often mistranslated from Spanish to English — don’t be confused, this refers to the woman in question).

The complaint was made public so that authorities could review the behavior of certain foreigners in San Pancho, who — according to the complaint — want to impose their own rules, ignoring the rights of Mexican residents.

They also noted that the property, apparently under construction, despite being suspended (emphasis added), still had personnel working on site.”

Source: Tribuna de la Bahia

Phew. Let’s break this down, shall we? Assuming all of the reported facts are true (and we have no reason to suspect otherwise, as the likelihood of a beachgoing Mexican family making this up are close to nil and the journalist has been doing this for a decade):

1. The woman kicked over a family’s drinks and yelled at them. Even if she DID have the right to tell them to leave the beach, this is outrageously aggressive behavior. (Sidenote: my New Yorkers will understand this — if said woman had tried this at, for example, Orchard Beach or Coney Island, it would have been a FAFO situation).

2. She did NOT have the right to tell them to leave, as the beaches are public property in Mexico, period.

3. She was evidently “developing” (destroying) coastal land, building more than one unit, which tells me she is part of the gentrification problem — very likely a real estate “investor,” driving up the costs of housing and contributing to myriad environmental issues.

4. She was reportedly building illegally, as the article states the construction was suspended.

A few things to note: it is unknown whether the construction or “concession” reportedly owned by the woman is being legally performed, but notably, permanent structures within 20 meters of the high tide line are prohibited in Mexico. It is impossible to know from the photos alone whether this applies to the construction clearly visible in the photos.

A clearer legal violation in this incident is the woman’s attempt to displace the local family from their rightful place on the beach. Mexico instituted a clear prohibition on preventing the public from accessing the beach, which is a rampant practice by hotels and other coastal property owners that obviously, and understandably, causes friction. Those found guilty are subject to five figure fines.

The question of whether kicking over (and thus emptying) someone’s drink rises to the level of criminal assault or theft in this estado of Mexico is way out of my purview, and a bit beside the point here.

So let’s move away from the issue of legality. Horrible things are done every day under the pretext of having a “legal right” to do them.

Let’s get into the fundamental ideology — the ideology of the Ugly American — that undergirds this behavior.

1. First of all, building your “castle on sand,” literally, is simply short-sighted and, to put it bluntly, stupid. Sea-level rise and resulting erosion is claiming houses along coastlines across the globe; managed retreat is increasingly necessary. I can only imagine that the goal here is to rent these properties to tourists for profit, though there are of course others short-sighted and stupid enough to buy them.

2. Second, constructing buildings on the beach is environmentally destructive. Coastal construction contributes to water pollution, habitat loss, reduction in pervious surface which exacerbates flooding, more erosion, and more. That’s without accounting for the shipment and manufacturing of materials, all of which contribute to climate crisis through reliance on fossil fuels.

3. Third, even if this woman had the right (which she doesn’t) to exclude people from the beach, the decision to do so reeks of colonial conquest. For one thing, the construction is clearly in early phases — it is not as if the woman could have been occupying the house and somehow disturbed by the family on the beach. The decision to preliminarily bar people from a beach one doesn’t own based on the presence of a construction site is absurd. Further, even if she had been living in the house and was disturbed by noise or activity on the beach, she has no right to infringe on it. This is Mexico. People go to the beach in big groups of extended family and friends. They may drink. They may play music. Kids may shriek with joy as they splash in the surf. Mexico is not a quiet country and anyone who has spent any amount of time here knows this. I can only assume that someone who has spent money to CONSTRUCT PROPERTY knows this. But this is what gentrifiers do — move in and forcefully impose their will on local populations.

4. Fourth, building on the last point, the identities at play here exacerbate the problem. While the woman in question also would not have had the right to kick over a tourist’s drink and yell at them to leave, it would be less reprehensible. Again, this is Mexico. The family on the beach were local Mexicans. Although the Mexican beaches belong to everyone, it is fair to say that locals should have first dibs. The racial dynamics here smack of the type of ugliness that people from the US do best.

5. Fifth, she is breaking the law. I know I said we were putting this aside, but it’s important. Restricting people from the beach is unlawful, and there are indications that the construction site itself is not in legal compliance. I will say that not all laws necessarily comport with morality, and plenty or immoral things are legal. In this case, though, the law protecting public beach access is is clearly established, and the woman must have known as much, if she went about the proper processes in obtaining permits. Willfully breaking a rational law designed to protect the public in a foreign country is the epitome of audacity, and not the good kind. As to whether the site itself is unlawful and why…we don’t have enough facts, IMO. I will note, however, that people who are this obnoxious tend to believe they are above the law when it suits their interests, so I would not be surprised if everything was not in order vis a vis the construction.

In a context where US-MX relations are tense, the MAGA regime is consistently attempting to violate Mexico’s sovereignty, and Trump’s fascist crackdown on immigrants (including Mexicans) includes deporting and incarcerating people without due process, incidents like this pour fuel onto the fire.

I will not be surprised if such behaviors lead to more visa denials, more animus, and more resentment toward US-ers living in or attempting to live in Mexico.

Those of us who are fortunate enough to call Mexico home need to condemn behavior like this and exemplify graciousness, kindness, cooperation, and a “light tread,” on the country’s precious natural resources.

It really isn’t that hard to do.

It takes a lot more effort to concoct and implement a profiteering construction plan and go out of your way to be a lawless jerk toward a family enjoying a day at the beach.

May this story serve as a demonstration on how not to be.

If you’re considering emigrating from the US and care about your global impact, check us out at www.silleckconsultingservices.com/emigrationsupport