New record of homicides in Mexico: 17,608 in the first half of 2019

"El Chapo" Guzmán was sentenced to life imprisonment in the United States. But the extradition and condemnation of the Mexican, one of the most well-known and powerful drug traffickers in the world, does not end up reflected in the daily lives of the inhabitants of their country.

Mexico recorded a record number of homicides in the first half of 2019, following a 5.3% increase over the same period last year. As noted, this is due to violence related to drug trafficking and criminal groups in several states.

The 17,608 first-half homicides represent the highest number since 1997, when they began keeping comparable records, including 2011, the highest year of the so-called war on drugs.

Authorities reported 16,714 homicides in the first half of 2018.

• There were 3,080 homicides in June, up more than 8% from the same month last year.
• Mexico, which has nearly 125 million residents, currently records up to 100 murders daily across the country.
• In Sinaloa, where Joaquín "El Chapo" Guzmán was led by the cartel, murders have decreased by 23% this year compared to 2018.

Disputes between drug traffickers over territorial control have become increasingly bloody, especially in the state of Sonora, in the north of the country, where the number of homicides has increased by 69% at first semester.

Due to cuts in public spending and the general reorganization of the security forces in the government of President Andrés Manuel López Obrador, it is impossible to know who, if any, is carrying out the operation. badysis and intelligence work to determine exactly what the conflicts are. causing the increase in homicides.

"I can give you 10 potential reasons that would be plausible.The truth is we do not know it, and I think that's the biggest problem," said Alejandro Hope, security badyst. "Very little systematic research allows us to elucidate what is happening."

Other types of crimes, such as extortion, have become more and more frequent and violent.

In one example, the authorities said Monday that the five men killed Sunday in a bar at the tourist port of Acapulco would be part of a group that extorted business owners to pay them the so-called "ground duty" ". ".

"It is notorious that in the nightclub members of the criminal group gathered to coordinate collection of fees and collect financial resources on a daily basis," said Jorge Zuriel, Attorney General of Guerrero State.

A suspect was arrested for the shooting, in which six others were injured. Zuriel said the attackers were members of a rival gang.

With information from the AP agency.