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Mexico Tallies 69 Murders in Single Day

Mexicans live in fear of grotesque killings

By Jane Yager,  Newser Staff

Posted Jan 12, 2010 6:45 AM CST
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(Newser) – Mexico kicked off 2010 with a grim record: On Saturday the violence-plagued country tallied 69 murders in a single day. As drug cartels stepped up retaliation against the government's war on trafficking, Saturday's count included 26 murders in the border city of Ciudad Juarez and 13 in Mexico City. Murders are also becoming increasingly grotesque: Last week one victim's face was peeled off and sewn to a soccer ball, and yesterday the remains of a slain police officer were found in two separate ice chests.

The escalating violence has many Mexicans living in fear. "I'm afraid to take to the streets every day because of the violence, and I no longer want to excel economically because it could make me an easy target for a kidnapping," a Monterrey woman told the AP. Observers say the killings are jeopardizing Mexico's international reputation, but some expect the tide of violence to recede within six months as one cartel emerges as dominant, reducing power struggles.

A soldier guards next to a crime scene where a man was murdered in downtown Ciudad Juarez, northern Mexico, Sunday, Sept. 13, 2009. The troubled border town was the site of 26 killings Monday.
A soldier guards next to a crime scene where a man was murdered in downtown Ciudad Juarez, northern Mexico, Sunday, Sept. 13, 2009. The troubled border town was the site of 26 killings Monday.   (AP Photo/Guillermo Arias)
A candlelight vigil in El Monte, Calif., Jan. 4, 2010. Augustin Roberto Bobby Salcedo, an assistant principal at El Monte High School, was murdered in Gomez Palacio, Mexico, on Dec. 31, 2009.
A candlelight vigil in El Monte, Calif., Jan. 4, 2010. Augustin Roberto "Bobby" Salcedo, an assistant principal at El Monte High School, was murdered in Gomez Palacio, Mexico, on Dec. 31, 2009.   (AP Photo/Damian Dovarganes)
Viridiana Rangel, wife of police officer Victor Miranda, reacts during a funeral ceremony honoring her husband in Mexico City, Sept. 19, 2009. Many police officers have died in the recent violence.
Viridiana Rangel, wife of police officer Victor Miranda, reacts during a funeral ceremony honoring her husband in Mexico City, Sept. 19, 2009. Many police officers have died in the recent violence.   (AP Photo/Eduardo Verdugo)
Soldiers, investigators and neighbors gather at a crime scene where a woman was murdered in Ciudad Juarez, Mexico, Sept. 13, 2009. The troubled border town was the site of 26 killings Monday.
Soldiers, investigators and neighbors gather at a crime scene where a woman was murdered in Ciudad Juarez, Mexico, Sept. 13, 2009. The troubled border town was the site of 26 killings Monday.   (AP Photo/Guillermo Arias)
Two men lie dead near a school in Ciudad Juarez, northern Mexico, Wednesday, Nov. 4, 2009. Four men were killed in the incident. The troubled border town was the site of 26 killings Monday.
Two men lie dead near a school in Ciudad Juarez, northern Mexico, Wednesday, Nov. 4, 2009. Four men were killed in the incident. The troubled border town was the site of 26 killings Monday.   (AP Photo)
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COMMENTS
Showing 3 of 8 comments
Miss.Katsuragi
Jan 13, 2010 12:37 PM CST
Well here in Monterrey we had the new rich complex, so 10 or 15 years back you could see all the wealthy people driving oversized trucks to compensate the small brain, but now if you show off too much, even if you actually don't have anything, you might be a sure target. It is safe, but you have to know where to go. I've heard a lot of stories of people "warned" not to criticize the cartels or the mobs in public, there have been cases where innocent die in crossed fire between cartels and military, but we can't legalize it first because we are too afraid of U.S. and the most important, the education level in our country, only a few ones have access to good education, because the SEP, who is in charge of education, it's too corrupted to actually care for education, if here in Mexico, we want to solve the problem with drug cartels, we have to go to the root, education, get rid of the corruption in the goverment, a minimum wage wich could let you have a decent life, not only survive by the day, and in U.S. what can be done is just decrease the demand, so we can decrease the supply and stop selling guns to any Juan with money
lonewolf17
Jan 13, 2010 7:43 AM CST
That's more dangerous than Baghdad...
jfcd
Jan 13, 2010 7:30 AM CST
Completamente de acuerdo

 
Mexico • murder • drug trafficking • violence • drug cartel • Ciudad Juarez • drug traffickers • Mexican drug cartel • drug lords • Mexico killings • Mexico murders • Mexico violence

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