Mexico Murders Rise to Record in AMLO’s First Year in Office
- Murders rose 2.5% in 2019 for fifth straight annual increase
- Pace of increase slowed from double digits in past three years
Photographer: Alfredo Estrella/AFP via Getty Images
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Murders in Mexico rose to a new record in 2019, the first full year of Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador’s presidency, posing a challenge to the popular leader to make good on a campaign promise of reducing violence.
Slayings, often fueled by the nation’s drug cartels, climbed to 34,582, compared with 33,743 a year earlier, according to data released by the national public security system. The 2.5% increase represents the least since homicides fell in 2014 and compared with increases of 17% to 28% in the previous three years.