Homicides Up in Mexico for First Time Since Pena Nieto Took Office Marissa Cabrera and Maureen Cavanaugh - KPBS
go to original April 27, 2016

A sign says "Out with Peña" at a protest in Mexico City (teleSUR)

Homicides are up in Mexico after years of decline that started when President Enrique Peña Nieto took office in 2012, according to a new report by researchers at the University of San Diego.

The report, titled "Drug Violence in Mexico," shows homicides increased by 8 percent from 2014 to 2015. But researchers say it's too early to tell if this signals a reversal of the downward trend.

"For one thing, it suggests that previous progress in reducing homicides was not necessarily attributable to the increased effectiveness of law enforcement or government policy," the report states. "For another thing, it raises questions about current dynamics among organized crime groups, and whether there is potential for escalation moving forward."

In Tijuana, while homicides are down from the record 2008 levels, homicides jumped from 462 in 2014 to 612 in 2015. Tijuana remains the second most violent city in Mexico after Acapulco.

Read the rest at KPBS

Related: Figures Shows Violence in Mexico Rising and Spreading (Insight Crime)

Related: Gunmen in Acapulco Attack Police at Headquarters, Hotel (Associated Press)

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