In 2006 we had political problems in Oaxaca, Mexico, where I live. The governor left, we saw no police downtown for six months, and the tourists we got were from the tour company Revolutions-R-Us from California. They brought people to "experience" the revolution first hand for three days. They saw what they wanted to see, role played as revolutionaries, and then ran home before they got hurt.
If you want to know what it's like, stay home till you run out of food, toilet paper, soap, and diapers and get really hungry. Welcome to Venezuela. Go to the MVD office and stand in lines from before they open until the lock the doors. Welcome to Venezuela. Take all of your vacation time and then spend it doing manual labor for your neighbor. Welcome to Venezuela.
When people ask if it's safe to visit Oaxaca, even in 2006, I respond that if you're not involved in politics, not involved with drugs, not involved with someone else's spouse it is as safe as Chicago or Detroit and probably safer than Memphis. My opinion is the streets are safer here, especially for foreigners. No one is running up behind old people and trying to knock them out with one punch for giggles. No one is pushing people in front of buses because they feel like it.
Whatever you do, don't get drunk. If you just have to get drunk, do it in your hotel room and have a sober person to see that you don't leave. Don't walk around wearing $5,000 worth of jewelry so everyone knows you're special. Be careful taking pictures. Some thugs don't want their pictures taken and some of the decent people are embarrassed at what's happened to what was a good place to live.
When I first got to Oaxaca, I made copies of my visa and passport and carried those with me, leaving the actual documents in a safe place. No one ever asked me for papers so I gradually quit carrying anything. I have been stopped at military and police roadblocks and I answer the questions politely and honestly. Of course, if I were here "for the revolution" I'd lie. In 2006, a high percentage of the foreigners showing up were anarchists with a $100 camera and a card from Narco News or something saying they were journalists. Since they were throwing rocks and firebombs journalists got a bad name. So, if you're going to pretend to be a journalist be sure and get counterfeit documents for the NYT or WashPo.