Mexico Aims Stopping Surging Crime Rate: 50,000 Troops Deployed Across Country

MEXICO CITY (Sputnik) – Around 50,000 security officers have been deployed across Mexico to counter high criminality rates in the North American state, Mexico’s new Public Security Minister Alfonso Durazo said.

"The order has already been given. Starting on December 1, almost 50,000 officers, including 35,000 military police officers, around 8,000 Navy police and the others from the federal police, will be deployed in 150 regions of the country on the permanent basis," Durazo said as quoted by the Excelsior news outlet.

On December 1, Mexican President Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador was sworn in bringing the new government to power.

The new authorities have already announced the creation of the national guard, which would include the most skilled law enforcement officers, to maintain order in the country.

Over recent years, Mexico has been reportedly facing high criminal rates due to the activities of drug cartels in the country and violence between them. According to the official figures, over 31,000 people were killed in this violence in 2017.

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