Government Cracking Down After Escalation of Drug-Related Violence in Tamaulipas Christopher Sherman - Postmedia News
go to original May 14, 2014

 
Mexican Federal Police patrol the Centro Cultural Reynosa where Miguel Angel Osorio Chong, secretary of state of Mexico, announced a crackdown Tuesday in the wake of drug-related bloodshed. Joel Martinez/The Associated Press)

REYNOSA, Mexico — After a recent surge of bloodshed, Mexico’s top security official said military commanders will lead a new security push in the northern border state of Tamaulipas.

Interior Secretary Miguel Angel Osorio Chong gave no numbers for troop or federal police reinforcements in what sounded like a doubling down on the current approach rather than any new plan. He said the government would continue working to dismantle cartels, block smuggling routes for people, weapons and drugs, and vet local police for corruption.

At least 76 people have been killed in drug-related violence since the start of April in Tamaulipas from cartel infighting and clashes between gunmen and security forces.

Tamaulipas will be divided into four regions, each with an army or navy officer in charge of implementing the federal security plan for bringing peace to the state, Chong said. He did not say how the new campaign would differ from previous efforts to turn public safety over to the military that failed to stem violence in the state.

“We are going to re-establish the conditions that will allow Tamaulipas citizens to recover the tranquillity they deserve,” Chong said in Reynosa, which is across the border from McAllen, Texas.

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