Drug Violence Drives Mexico Murders To Record High

According to official government figures and a recent report from Justice in Mexico, the number of murders in Mexico soared to record levels last year. The country has been grappling with drug-fueled violence for years with bloodthirsty cartels and gangs causing mayhem. In 2017, the number of murders surpassed 29,000, higher than the peak of the Mexican drug war in 2011 when the country recorded 27,213 homicides. The latest data from Justice in Mexico, a program compiled by researchers at the University of San Diego, provided data for 2018 and 2019. In 2019, the number of homicides climbed to 34,588, a record high.