Mexican Generals Propose a Militarized National Police Force

The proposal comes at a time when the presence of approximately 40,000 army soldiers and 5,000 federal police officers in eleven states to combat organized crime is becoming increasingly and universally unpopular. Even Mexican members of Congress have called for a complete withdraw of the Army back to its barracks. Due to the Army’s inexperience in carrying out criminal investigations, dealing with civilians, and non-lethal or less-than-lethal policing tactics, Calderón’s decision to deploy it in civilian areas has turned a large swath of Mexico into what he himself admits is a war zone. Citizens who originally welcomed the strong-handed approach to combating drug violence in their towns now march in the streets demanding protection from the Army. Since Calderón declared open war on organized crime a year and a half ago, over 4,152 people have died drug-related deaths, 87 unresolved formal complaints of crimes against journalists have accumulated in the Mexican Attorney General’s office, Mexico’s National Human Rights Commission has documented 634 cases of military abuse, and the country’s homicide rate has increased by 47%. By all measures violence has sharply increased, not decreased, under the Army’s watch.

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