Crisis Group Mexico
Background
Marking the return to power of the Institutional Revolutionary Party (PRI), President Enrique Peña Nieto took office on 1 December 2012. Peña Nieto assumed the presidency amid violent street protests, and under pressure to follow through on his campaign promise to reduce the number of homicides, kidnappings and extortions. This will not be an easy task. Former President Felipe Calderón left office with the country experiencing intense drug cartel violence that has left over 60,000 dead and 10,000 missing. Human rights complaints against the police forces and the military, exposure of government corruption, and high levels of impunity have further deteriorated the public's trust in government. Addressing these challenges must also become top priorities if a reduction in violence is to be achieved.
Impact
"The complex situation Mexico faces requires detailed analysis, not only to diagnose the evils we suffer, but mainly in the building up of realistic and daring alternatives to tackle them. In this field, the reputation and experience of International Crisis Group in the analysis and prevention of deadly conflicts adds an essential and high quality input.", Mariclaire Acosta, Project Director, Freedom House-Mexico, February 2013
Latest reports
Justice at the Barrel of a Gun: Vigilante Militias in Mexico, Latin America Briefing N°29, 28 May 2013
Mexico's Challenge: Criminal Cartels and Rule of Law, Latin America Report N°48, 19 Mar 2013
Future Research
- Vigilantes and Self Defence Groups
- Mexico's New Force: The Gendarmerie
- Implementation of Legal Reforms: From a Closed-Door Written System to an Oral Trial-Based System
- Economy of Extortion
Podcasts
Javier Ciurlizza on Criminal Cartels and Rule of Law in Mexico (March 2013)
Videos
Javier Ciurlizza on CNN's Aristegui (March 2013)
Louise Arbour on CNN's Aristegui (September 2012)
Javier Ciurlizza on CNN's Aristegui (April 2012)
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