Mexico implements 'Martial Law' To Crackdown on Violent Gangs

© press

Mexico has announced it will be deploying troops as part of implementing martial law to tackle Mexican criminal gangs across regions where violence has caused over 25,000 deaths last year. 

National Security Commissioner Renato Sales announced that federal police troops will be working alongside officials to tackle major criminals and help with investigations.

PressTV reports: The aim was “to recover peace and calm for all Mexicans,” he added. The number of murders recorded in 2017 in Mexico was the highest ever seen, with a total of 25,339 people.

Mexico’s number of murders in 2017 was the country’s highest ever recorded.

Sales noted that federal police troops would be sent to the states of Colima and Baja California Sur, the resort town of Cancun and the border city of Ciudad Juarez, among others.

According to officials and local media, 25 people were murdered in different locations across the country over the weekend.

Experts say most of murders in Mexico are related to drug trafficking and that a government crackdown -- which began last decade -- is to blame for the increasing homicide rates. More than 200,000 people have been killed since former president Felipe Calderon launched his signature anti-drug operation in December 2006.

Rights campaigners have criticized the Mexican government for its new policies to involve the military in the anti-drug operations.