crime

The president relied on the military, rather than the police, to fight organized crime groups, which are among Mexico’s largest employers.

His comments this week were his most critical assessment yet of Mexico’s approach to crime and drug trafficking.

"The police say they don't have the resources to tackle something like this but it's not just petty crime any more - this is organised theft."

"The city centre has become lawless and this is where they are getting the brazenness because they know that the systems we have in place with the policing and the control of crime has failed."

McDonnell said he would rather see the city’s crime numbers rise because it would give him a real picture of the problem and a better idea of what he must do to handle it.