Kaleem Washington, Blog 12, Crime

Kaleem Washington

Blog #12, Crime

Source: Washington Post

Violence increases pressure on Calderon

            In recent news, Mexico City has been undergoing a severe violent uprising that has led to mass killing, mass graves and mass arrests of police. These occurrences in northeastern Mexico over the past week have shaken the government of President Felipe Calderon, who faces mounting pressure to stem sensational violence.  Sixteen police officers from the town of San Fernando have been detained on suspicion of protecting the Zetas criminal gang, which is alleged to have filled mass graves with dozens of bodies found there.  This crime of protecting gangs and possibly assisting in the mass killings is corrupting the Mexican government and the people are losing trust that the government will be able to decrease the uprising violence.  The main reason for such corruption is that Calderon’s government is struggling to uphold the promises to transform the state and local police forces, whose officers are often ill trained and poorly paid. These same units often work for crime mafias and drug traffickers. Calderon’s opponents in the Mexican congress have blocked his efforts to place local police under state control because he then would have full governing over the police force and the local jurisdiction will fall to state-rule.
            I am not shocked at the uprising violence in Mexico City, especially looking at the reason why there is such corruption within the Mexican government system.  Trying to stop and manage the criminal actions of citizens, gangs, and police is very difficult for President Calderon’s, especially when he does not have the support of his governing board to transform the police force to help with the corruption and violence.  Such actions of government corruption happens in many countries when funds are low and the only way to live is to affiliate oneself with gangs to help increase payment.  In order to stop corruption of this nature, governments need to do a better job structuring the budget and create better systems within the government’s forces to help decrease the violent uprisings.

http://www.washingtonpost.com/world/police-arrested-more-bodies-found-in-northern-mexico/2011/04/14/AF4mcedD_story.html