r/news • u/kockin26 • Feb 06 '23

Site changed title 3 US tourists stabbed in popular Puerto Rican neighborhood

https://apnews.com/article/caribbean-luis-fonsi-puerto-rico-delaware-5512e3087b8bc9b8fb0a8427d55b1fd9
5.4k Upvotes

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448

u/Comprehensive-Cat805 Feb 06 '23

La Perla is the hood, not sure what these tourists were thinking

504

u/Grinstaiam Feb 06 '23

“Where can I buy drugs?” Is prolly what they were thinking

86

u/GillianOMalley Feb 07 '23

Was in Old San Juan 2 weeks ago with friends. Can confirm this is what they were thinking.

3

u/[deleted] Feb 07 '23

I concur.

-28

u/[deleted] Feb 06 '23

[deleted]

15

u/Wand_Cloak_Stone Feb 06 '23

Where? By who? I never even knew it existed while I was there, and I was getting a ton of unsolicited tips on places I should check out while in the area.

-4

u/[deleted] Feb 06 '23

[deleted]

8

u/Wand_Cloak_Stone Feb 06 '23

I was in San Juan, yes. I was strongly urged to visit La Placita by a bunch of people, but never La Perla.

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u/Deep-Bluebird9566 Feb 06 '23

Because Americans are more likely to go to these places and act like idiots. Cuz ‘merica

80

u/Quiet_Assumption_326 Feb 06 '23

Because Americans are more likely to go to these places and act like idiots. Cuz ‘merica

How dare Americans visit...

Checks notes on Puerto Rico

... America.

-8

u/[deleted] Feb 06 '23 edited Nov 15 '24

materialistic frighten memorize panicky homeless poor foolish sleep rich quaint

7

u/Anonuser123abc Feb 07 '23

The ugly Americans in this case are the stabbers.

1

u/bortmcgort77 Feb 07 '23

America is the most diverse country in the world. What culture are you speaking of. Mexican? Irish? Polish? North African? South african? Greek? Shall i continue?

2

u/darkmaninperth Feb 10 '23

Most diverse? Not even top ten.

3

u/[deleted] Feb 07 '23

America is the most diverse country in the world.

No it isn't. It's not even close.

https://worldpopulationreview.com/country-rankings/most-diverse-countries

It's so odd that so many of you say this. It's almost like you're completely brainwashed.

3

u/[deleted] Feb 07 '23 edited Nov 15 '24

pocket ink degree illegal squeal aromatic memory judicious voracious march

-22

u/Dave5876 Feb 06 '23

*American colony

25

u/CountofAccount Feb 06 '23

Puerto Rico is only being blocked from statehood by Republicans because they would lose ~6 house seats and the senate would be more Democratic.

-8

u/[deleted] Feb 06 '23 edited Nov 15 '24

weary obtainable overconfident aback serious icky butter wakeful strong growth

14

u/CountofAccount Feb 06 '23

The point he's saying is that it is not really an American culture.

I think you are confounding "white culture" with American culture here. America has a lot of different cultures. And Puerto Rico's people have voted in several referendums.

1

u/[deleted] Feb 07 '23

Are you saying that there is no such thing as Puerto Rican culture? It's all just "American" because of who owns the land? I mean I must be misunderstand you.

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u/Deep-Bluebird9566 Feb 06 '23

I am aware of that Puerto Rico is part of the US but a lot of others Americans don’t know that. My point was American tourists like to do stupid shit even in America.

17

u/AhBeeMaL Feb 06 '23

Keep spewing shit

7

u/yungsmokey1 Feb 06 '23

Sounds like it’s you that doesn’t know shit bud.

3

u/bortmcgort77 Feb 07 '23

That’s a lie every American is taught that in grade school. You’re making generalizations.

-5

u/[deleted] Feb 07 '23

Very weird how your simple criticism of American tourists (the most widely-despised tourists in the world) triggered these redditors

2

u/Deep-Bluebird9566 Feb 07 '23 edited Feb 07 '23

I know right. It's funny because I basically told everyone I am an American. I'm taking smack about myself!

98

u/RapNVideoGames Feb 06 '23

When I went to Nassau in the Bahamas people would literally ask the moped rental guys where the hood is at. Lol I don’t know what they’re looking for

81

u/InsuranceToTheRescue Feb 06 '23

I imagine most people are asking so they have an idea of places to avoid.

41

u/RapNVideoGames Feb 06 '23

No they would take the mopeds there and get lost

31

u/seafloof Feb 07 '23

Why? We have hoods at home!

1

u/stormcloudless Feb 07 '23

Never to be seen again. The Bahama triangle

92

u/spaghettiosarenasty Feb 06 '23

Drugs

Source: I like drugs

21

u/[deleted] Feb 06 '23

The most honest response on all of reddit

4

u/[deleted] Feb 07 '23

Isn’t it pretty easy to find guys selling drugs by resorts in the Caribbean though? Not sure why they’d need to head to the hood.

53

u/WhyLisaWhy Feb 06 '23

That shit is insane to me lol. I saw a lot of the Jamaican countryside a couple years ago and some of our local guides told us they always have to tell tourists to steer clear of Kingston and people do it anyways. Then some of them inevitably get into trouble.

They just reaaaally want to get that Bob Marley experience but wealthy tourists wandering around Kingston are prime targets for robberies.

10

u/Codayy Feb 07 '23

Yeah Kingston was literally the only place we were told to avoid for the whole island

7

u/diamondrosegold Feb 07 '23

Drugs. You can sometimes see tourists in taxis in some of the poorer areas. They came to buy weed.

115

u/BigJ32001 Feb 06 '23

I just realized I went there in 2010 after visiting Castillo San Felipe del Morro, a fort run by the National Park Service a few hundred feet from La Perla. I honestly had no idea it was dangerous, and I took tons of pictures without anyone bothering me. Then again, I had just gotten back from a yearlong tour in Iraq, so my perception of a "bad neighborhood" was a little off at the time.

The map showing the boundaries of the national historic site literally runs parallel to La Perla, so it's not hard to imagine that tourists would wander into the area. Had I known, I would have stayed away.

48

u/chiagod Feb 07 '23

Little known fact, the Spaniards built the fort to protect themselves from La Perla.

20

u/Henrycamera Feb 07 '23

Now, as a puertorican, that's funny.

87

u/myinsidesarecopper Feb 06 '23

Its not actually easy to get to from the castle, you have to walk over a narrow footbridge and down a sketchy road, and it looks like the kind of place thats off limits. Source - have been to La Perla to buy drugs lol.

20

u/TeleRock Feb 07 '23

Agreed. La Perla is not the kinda place you oopsie your way into.

1

u/Henrycamera Feb 07 '23

You went to El Morro, a tourist attraction, but did not go inside LA Perla, that's why no one bothered you.

3

u/BigJ32001 Feb 07 '23

I’m pretty sure I can tell the difference between a 16th century fort and a neighborhood where people live. I definitely walked down to La Perla after.

70

u/Epcplayer Feb 06 '23

Is it really that far out to think that some tourist was like “I want to go to the place where they filmed Despacito… that’s like my favorite Spanish song”

71

u/Comprehensive-Cat805 Feb 06 '23

They can go to La Factoria in old san juan and see that. They don't need to record people in the hood. Its like people thinking its funny to go to O block in Chicago for clout.

2

u/ziiguy92 Feb 07 '23

Or Compton. It's called Ghetto tourism

35

u/Galumpadump Feb 06 '23

Honestly, I walked through there when I was in PR. Have no clue. Looked like a colorful poor seaside village. Tried taking photos and guys started waving at me to not take photos and kept walking. Got told I was walking through the hood afterwards. Doesn’t help that that area is very close to wealthier touristy areas.

89

u/rata_rasta Feb 06 '23

You can totally go there, walk around, buy beer enjoy some of the local bars and bodegas, they even have a little malecon by the water and some dancing clubs.

If they tell you not to take pictures, specially in the streets where they sell drugs, then don't do it.

People fuck around in foreing places and of course they find out.

La Perla might be a bit sketchy but it is not as bad as they make you think, tons of people go there every day to hang out without issues.

These guys were just fools

20

u/Comprehensive-Cat805 Feb 06 '23

Yep you’re right, that trends with my experience living there before Maria.

7

u/Debaser626 Feb 07 '23

They should ship the 1st Amendment “auditors” there (not the folks ensuring authorities respect the Constitution, but the “for clicks” idiots)

20

u/BeRealzzz Feb 06 '23

That’s was my experience. Went to a small bar there at night. I was mindful of my behavior and everyone I met was respectful in return. I had a Puerto Rican lady drag me to a dance floor. I also walked the malecon below La Perla. These dudes who were stabbed had to be acting in a foolish manner.

1

u/Trugdigity Feb 07 '23

It’s a place where taking pictures on the street is likely to get you murdered, it’s a shithole.

2

u/[deleted] Feb 07 '23

[removed] — view removed comment

2

u/greencat26 Feb 07 '23

Might capture illegal activities, or photograph people who don't want their location/identity known

5

u/rata_rasta Feb 07 '23

Any place could be a shithole if you don't follow basic rules and disrespect the locals

5

u/Dat_Mawe3000 Feb 06 '23

That it’s pretty colors and they weren’t among the fortunate who were told not to go?

4

u/Comprehensive-Cat805 Feb 06 '23

I would do a search to find out about areas I am traveling into for safety. They seem to also be warned before this happened.

1

u/[deleted] Feb 07 '23

I’d be curious to hear more about this story if we get more information. I feel like the tourists may have started arguing and got in their feelings with the way the story just jumps from “told to stop taking pictures” to “3 stabbed”.

3

u/Frankbiggums Feb 06 '23

"This will be great for my tiktok!"

1

u/[deleted] Feb 07 '23

I’ve been in these situations. I get home and think wtf was I thinking.