Mexico Deploys 10,200 Police and Military Forces to Combat Crime Hotspots, According to Reuters

Mexico City – This week, Mexico initiated an increase in law enforcement presence in its most violent regions, with officials announcing the deployment of the first contingent of 10,200 troops and police officers. This action aims to mitigate rising murder rates in 17 high-violence areas as part of a broader program that is expected to expand in scope.

Last year, homicides surged by one-third, marking a record high for the second consecutive year and highlighting the difficulties faced by the newly elected president in managing the escalating violence that has persisted over the past decade amid a military-led campaign against drug trafficking.

President Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador, who assumed office in December, has outlined a strategy to strengthen the military through the establishment of a new National Guard, while declaring an end to the war on drug traffickers. He is also considering alternative crop initiatives for illicit agricultural products and potential amnesty measures for low-level drug dealers and farmers.

The initial phase will see 600 personnel assigned to each of the 17 targeted districts, with plans to widen the initiative to additional locations across the nation, as stated by Mexican Security Minister Alfonso Durazo at a press conference.

The northern border city of Tijuana, which recorded one of the highest murder rates in the country last December with 202 fatalities, began receiving reinforcements on Monday. Other U.S. border cities such as Ciudad Juarez, Reynosa, and Nuevo Laredo, as well as the popular tourist destination of Acapulco, are also scheduled to receive additional troops.

Durazo emphasized that the deployments are intended to be permanent, outlining the difference between conducting temporary operations and establishing a constant security presence. “It’s one thing to do operations and bring forces from Mexico City to Tijuana, to Reynosa, to Nuevo Laredo, and then bring them back,” he noted. “It’s very different to have a permanent state of force.”