Mexico President defends administration as 28 killed in attacks

The Mexico President Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador on October 15 defended his administration for fighting the violent crime that continues to engulf his country and has already led to the killing of 13 police officers by a powerful drug cartel and 15 in a separate shootout. Mexico has been entangled in a wave of violence ever since the government deployed the army in 2006 to fight the country's powerful drug cartels. Many experts also blame the drug war for spiraling violence in Mexico. 

The shootout reportedly began when an unknown caller told authorities that an armed group was present in the Tepochica community of Igula municipality of the southern state where drug gangs violently defend trafficking. The two days of reported violence underlined the Lopez Obrador administration's struggles to rein in crime since the leftist leader took office last December. The family of the 13 police officers that were killed received a shared funeral service in the Michoacan state capital Morelia. When Governor Silvano Aureoles addressed the funeral ceremony many erupted in anger while shouting “Justice!”.

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'Deplorable attack'

The Mexico president reportedly called the attack “deplorable” and defended his strategy to fight the drug-fueled violence that had plagued Mexico for years. His security plan is built around a new National Guard which will gradually take civilian police duties back from the military. He further pledged to fight crime at its roots by improving living standards for Mexico's poorest. Approximate 250,000 people have been murdered in Mexico since the army was deployed to the streets, including a record 33,749 last year. With almost 23,063 murders as of August 2019 is on track to again break the country's homicide record.

"We're going to continue with our strategy. I'm optimistic, I believe we are going to achieve peace in this country... It's a process, we're moving forward." 

(With inputs from PTI)

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