Mexico in an endless nightmare of homicides: Who needs a civil war?
Noriko Watanabe and Lee Jay Walker
Modern Tokyo Times
Mexico resembles a nation blighted by civil war because the homicide rate is alarmingly high. Hence, with the homicide figure in the first six months of 2018 reaching a shocking 15,973 people, then Mexico is on par with some of the most brutal conflicts in the world. This shocking reality should reverberate inside all major institutions throughout this nation. However, it appears that the central government, local governments, the police, the judiciary, and other important institutions throughout society are at a loss about how to stem the horrendous homicide rate.
The new figures released for the first six months of 2018, means that the rate is the highest since records began to record the homicide rate in 1997. It should be stated that this sad fact applies despite the height of the drug war in 2011 being known to have killed many. Therefore, the endless fact of so many brutal killings is highlighting a serious dagger at the heart of Mexico.
Of course, it should be stated that other nations throughout South America are blighted by horrendous homicide figures. For example, El Salvador and Honduras are among the most deadly nations to reside in throughout the world. However, the situation in Mexico is deteriorating to the extent of appearing like a failed state in parts of the country blighted by high homicide rates.
It is estimated that roughly fifty percent of all murders are based on crime related to organized crime syndicates. Hence, with the first six months of 2018 resembling a violent civil war, then the situation is spiraling out of control.
Last year, the International Crisis Group stipulated, “The path to this grisly statistic has advanced through various stages. The first was the militarization of the “war on drugs” that began in 2006 under former President Felipe Calderón, and which triggered an arms race and clashes between criminal organizations and state security forces, including the Mexican army. Then came strategies aimed at taking down “kingpin” cartel leaders and at splintering criminal organizations, both of which ultimately aggravated the violence and reinforced these groups’ ties with corrupt state institutions.”
Modern Tokyo Times reported in a past article, “In 2016 more people were killed in the conflict in Mexico than in the brutal conflicts engulfing Afghanistan, Iraq, and Yemen. Indeed, the total of deaths in Mexico was roughly equal to the combined deaths of Afghanistan and Yemen. This figure is astonishing given the fact that technically Mexico isn’t at war – apart from with itself based on various negative factors.”
Overall, the grim figure of 15,973 homicides in the first six months in Mexico is horrendously high. This gives further credence to the need for a fresh strategy to be implemented by the central government, local governments, the police, and all leading institutions that focus on an array of different issues. If not, then the upper echelons of society – who are failing to grasp the severity of the crisis – are betraying the people of Mexico.
https://www.theguardian.com/world/2018/jul/23/mexico-crime-homicides-violence-up-report
Modern Tokyo News is part of the Modern Tokyo Times group
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