Mexico was in the spotlight of the world in 2009 when the first cases of H1N1 pandemic were reported there and people all over the world started panicking because there was no vaccine for it at that time.
In 2008 bloody drug wars raged between drug cartels. Drug cartels are gangs that control the distribution of cocaine and other illicit drugs in jungle areas all over Mexico. It is estimated that 23,000 people have lost their lives in the past three years because of drug wars. Most of the people who killed were civilians caught in shooting outs.
Tens of thousands of military soldiers and policemen have been involved in the war to arrest cartel and organized crime leaders and restore peace and order in the country. Pictures are published daily in different newspapers of people killed after being tortured. In Mexico there was at least three shoot outs in different parts of the city. Because of drug wars, Mexico city is one of the deadliest places in the world.
The federal government can do very little because of corruption in state governments and in the police force. Drug cartels enjoy the protection of the local police in many parts of Mexico. The wars are mainly because gangs don’t recognize territorial turfs of one another.
Australia has issued a travel warning to people wanting to visit Mexico asking them to be vigilant and exercise a high degree of caution because of the high level of violent crime there especially the drug-related gang violence.
Other forms of violence in Mexico include sexual assault, armed robbery, kidnapping, pick pocketing, bag snatching and drink and food spiking in bars and restaurants. There has also been a number of “express kidnapping” where individuals are forced to withdraw money from ATM machines because they are threaten by gang members.
