Mexico's Marines Are Leading The Fight Against The Cartels

Mexican Marines. AFP

Camilo Carranza, Business Insider/InSight Crime: Mexico's marines are leading the fight against cartels — and they're killing more and more criminals and civilians

* Mexico's marines have been deployed to lead the fight against the country's cartels and criminal groups.
* Those marines have become far more deadly in recent years, killing suspected criminals and civilian bystanders.
* That has raised concern as Mexico moves ahead with the formation of a new paramilitary force to address widespread insecurity.

Recent data shows that Mexican marines have become far more lethal in clashes with armed gangs, raising concerns of accountability at a time when Mexico prepares to send a new National Guard unit into the streets.

During the past 12 years, Mexican marines have engaged in at least 400 battles with allegedly armed civilians, killing over 400 people, according to data obtained by Animal Politico. All but one of the deaths came within the last seven years, the data from the Navy Secretariat (Secretaria de Marina Armada — Semar) shows.

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WNU Editor: President Andrés Manuel López Obrador is trying to change this by creating a special National Guard unit. But considering how heavily armed and vicious Mexico's drug cartels are, I wish him luck.