Tuesday, January 3, 2012

Mexico's Drug Cartel War Claims 12,000 Lives In 2011

Poet and peace activist Javier Sicilia of the "Peace with Justice and Dignity" movement carries a bunch of Cempasuchil flowers, also known as the Flower of the Dead, at the Angel of Independence monument, where an altar was created for peace in the country, in Mexico City October 31, 2011. Sicilia, whose son was killed in March, organised a two-day altar with candles and named crosses for the Day of the Dead to pay homage to over 40,000 who have lost their lives during Mexico's drug war. Photograph by: Carlos Jasso, REUTERS

In Mexico, 12,000 Killed In Drug Violence In 2011 -- Washington Post

MEXICO CITY — About 12,000 people were slain last year in Mexico’s surging drug violence, according to grim tallies reported Monday by the country’s leading media outlets. Annual indexes of torture, beheadings and the killing of women all showed increases.

More than 50,000 people have been killed during President Felipe Calderon’s U.S.-backed military confrontation with organized crime and drug trafficking, which began in 2006.

The Calderon government, after promising to update figures regularly, has not reported its own death count, perhaps because the trend line does not look good. A government spokesman said new figures would be released later this month. The ruling party is facing national elections this summer, in which the main opposition party threatens to retake the presidency.

Read more ....

Update #1: Mexico drug violence killed 12,000 in 2011: reports -- AFP
Update #2: Mexico drug violence kills 1 000 a month -- News24

My Comment: 50,000 killed in 5 years .... and trends indicate 2012 will probably be a record in drug violence and killings.

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