Government Reveals Homicides in Mexico Have Reached a Grisly Milestone Christopher Woody - Business Insider
go to original August 29, 2016

For the first half of 2016, Mexico’s murder rate rose over 15 percent compared to last year. This has prompted concern that the country’s recent gains in quelling the drug war might be slowing down. (CCTV America)

Data released by the Mexican government reveal that homicides, perhaps the most visible aspect of the country's violence, reached an ugly milestone in July.

The 2,073 killings recorded that month were the most of any month since the current president, Enrique Peña Nieto, entered office in December 2012, and it was the first time the country exceeded 2,000 homicides in a month since August 2011.

2011 was the bloodiest year in the six-year term of Filipe Calderon, Peña Nieto's predecessor who launched a heavily militarized crackdown on drug cartels and criminal organizations throughout the country.

July's total tops the previous high registered under Peña Nieto — the 1,895 homicides recorded in May this year, which were the most since he took office in December 2012.

As noted by Mexican security analyst Alejandro Hope, these numbers appear to be part of an upswing.

Read the rest at Business Insider

Related: Mexican Army Reports Casualties in Actions Against Organized Crime (Prensa Latina)

Related: Is the 'Great Violence of 2008-2012' Returning to Ciudad Juarez? (Frontera NorteSur)

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