On paper, the Internet is free and open in Mexico. However, the situation is very different “on the ground,” with many journalists practicing self-censorship when reporting on Transnational Criminal Organizations (TCOs).
Also, not all popular services are available in/from Mexico, and with a VPN – you get to bypass these restrictions that are imposed not by the local government(s) but those service providers. If that’s what you need, just connect to a VPN server in the country you need and you’re good to go.
However, perhaps the most important feature of a VPN is that it helps you regain your privacy on the Internet. While it is working in the background, you get to anonymously surf the web, download and upload stuff with BitTorrent, and so on.
And we’ve just scratched the surface here. What follows are what we deem to be the best VPNs for Mexico. Check them out…
Pros
Cons
- 5,000+ servers in the network
- Easy to use - install it and forget it
- One license is good for up to 6 devices
- Strict zero-logs policy
- 30-day money-back guarantee
- Chrome extension is just a proxy
Summary
Its network includes more than 6,200 servers spread across 111 countries, which directly translates into faster speeds. NordVPN is also very secure, relying on the strong 256-bit encryption combined with secure VPN protocols (OpenVPN, WireGuard, IKEv2/IPSec). But as a user, you get a seamless experience with all this technology "doing its thing" in the background.
NordVPN is well suited to pretty much every task you throw at it — whether it's accessing a banned site from some country that filters out the internet, torrenting, accessing streaming services, or just wanting to keep a low profile on the web. It also doesn't keep any logs.
We highly recommend NordVPN to anyone looking for reliable service.
Pros
Cons
- Good for both torrenting and streaming
- Works in China
- Solid network with servers in 60+ countries
- Easy to use apps on multiple platforms
- Live chat isn't always available
- Fairly pricey
Summary
Whether you need a VPN for watching Netflix shows or downloading files via BitTorrent, Astrill can help you out — all while keeping your identity under the radar. And this is especially true if you live or work in China when the company's stealth protocols will kick in to let you access all the popular sites that are by default blocked by the country's censors.
Astrill's apps are easy to use and available on all popular platforms. Nevertheless, they still manage to provide a host of advanced features tech-savvy folks are used to get. Highly recommended, again, especially if you're looking to bypass the Great Firewall of China.
Pros
Cons
- Feature-rich yet easy to use
- One of the best VPNs around
- Strong no-logging policy
- Reliable support you can reach 24/7
- Limited number of servers in Africa and the Middle East
- Kinda pricey
Summary
ExpressVPN has great desktop apps for Windows and Mac, mobile apps and browser extensions. Also, it is well suited for video streaming services such as Netflix, Hulu, BBC iPlayer and others.
However, what makes it stand out is its ease of use. We can't emphasize this enough. One could tell a lot of time has been spent making sure even the advanced features are easily accessible. And we love it for that. Plus, let's not forget ExpressVPN's speed which tends to leave other services in the dust.
Pros
Cons
- Fast download and upload speeds
- Works with Netflix, Hulu, BBC iPlayer, etc.
- Great for torrenting
- Advanced privacy features (i.e. Tor over VPN)
- Relatively small number of servers
- There are no browser extensions
- Live chat support is not always available
Summary
Specifically, you can rely on PrivateVPN for both torrenting and streaming, without paying a premium. It is, in fact, one of the most affordable options in its league and we love it for that.
Customer support may not be on par with bigger players but it's not like you should experience many problems anyway. You will get the same level of security and privacy as with other services, and a single license will let you run PrivateVPN on up to 6 devices. Pretty cool.
Pros
Cons
- Works in China
- Many servers in Asia
- Strict zero-logs policy
- Advanced services like VyprVPN Cloud
- No browser extensions
- Torrenting could be better
Summary
It manages to bypass restrictions in high-censorship countries and elsewhere by relying on its proprietary Chameleon protocol, which can easily slide under the radar.
VyprVPN is also great for accessing video streaming services such as Netflix, Disney+, Hulu and so on — delivering the true buffer-free experience every single time. It will also work with BitTorrent, and consequently - Kodi.
VyprVPN has a strict zero-logs policy. Period.
Censorship in Mexico
When it comes to censorship in Mexico, there is room for improvement, to say the least.
In 2016, Reporters Without Borders ranked Mexico 149 out of 180 in the World Press Freedom Index, declaring Mexico to be “the world’s most dangerous country for journalists.” Related to that, in 2010 the Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ) reported that Mexico was “one of the worst nations in solving crimes against journalists.”
Under the current Mexican Constitution, both freedom of information and expression are to be protected. The country is also a signatory to the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights which gives them the responsibility to uphold these established laws regarding freedom of expression.
Alas, that changes little the situation on the ground.
Internet censorship
When it comes to Internet censorship, the OpenNet Initiative (ONI) found no evidence of Internet filtering in 2011. Nevertheless, Mexico was classified as “partly free” in the Freedom on the Net 2011 report from Freedom House.
Transnational Criminal Organizations (TCOs) exercise an increasing influence over media outlets and reporters, at times directly threatening individuals who published critical views of crime groups. As citizens increasingly use social media such as Twitter and Facebook to obtain and share drug-related news, violence against the users of these sites is rising dramatically. The threats and violence lead to self-censorship in many cases.
Two states introduced new restrictions on the use of social media. In August 2011, Veracruz officials arrested Gilberto Martinez Vera and Maria de Jesus Bravo Pagola for allegedly spreading rumors of violence on Twitter. They were released following protests from civil society groups, but the state created a new “public disturbance” offense for use in similar cases in the future.
Similarly, the state of Tabasco outlawed telephone calls or social network postings that could provoke panic. Civil society groups feared that the laws could be used to curb freedom of expression online.
The most disturbing case took place in September 2011, when the police in Nuevo Laredo found the headless body of a female journalist who wrote on TCO activity on Primera Hora de Nuevo Laredo newspaper and as an online blogger under the pseudonym of “La Nena de Laredo” (“Laredo Girl”). Two other Nuevo Laredo-based bloggers were allegedly tortured and killed by TCOs in September and November, again in retaliation for posting comments on the Internet about local drug cartels.
In May 2009, the Mexican Federal Electoral Institute (IFE) asked YouTube to remove a parody of the governor of the state of Veracruz – Fidel Herrera. While negative advertising in political campaigns is prohibited by the law, the video appears to be made by a regular citizen, which would make it legal. It was the first time a Mexican institution intervened directly with the Internet.
You need a VPN for Mexico…
As a regular user, you probably won’t be writing or commenting about TCOs, but a VPN lets you do that as well.
However, that is not the main point why you should run a VPN on all your devices. The main reason is to get more anonymity on the Internet so that no government or non-government authority can keep track of you online. The latter primarily involves Big Tech companies like Google and Facebook, which effectively want all our data so they could sell us more ads. And by doing so, turning us into products.
Also, with a VPN, you get to access video streaming services that could otherwise be out of your reach. We’re talking about US Netflix (cause it has the largest catalog of movies), HBO Max, Disney+, and so on.
Plus, a VPN will protect you while accessing public Wi-Fi hotspots, encrypting all data coming to and from your devices and the rest of the Internet.
And that’s not all. A good VPN will have your back in many use cases, including:
- Accessing content that could otherwise be restricted in your physical location.
- Preventing tracking and minimizing your digital footprint so that no one can track you online (at least not that easily).
- Avoiding throttling from your ISP – which is known to happen when you’re torrenting or accessing video streaming services.
- Bypassing firewalls in a workplace, university, school and so on.
- Bypassing censorship in places like China, North Korea, countries in the Middle East, and even Turkey and Russia.
- Securely connecting to public Wi-Fi hotspots – with a VPN encrypting all the traffic coming to and from your devices.
The bottom line is – get a VPN that fits all your needs. The top contenders include the following:
