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Guadalajara -
Mexico's new Secretary of Government today answered a frequently asked question: how many have died in this country's 74 month old drug war, launched by former president Felipe Calderón Hinojosa on Dec. 11, 2006?
About 70,000, said Miguel Ángel Osorio Chong, while quickly adding:
"There are no official statistics, no hard data, which allow us to state this with any certainty."
Osorio is the ranking cabinet member of Enrique Peña Nieto's Institutional Revolutionary Party, which took office Dec. 1. Calderón was a National Action Party (PAN) president. The center-right PAN held Mexico's highest office for two terms, from 2000-2012, but was soundly thrashed at the polls July 1.
Mexico has long contended that 90% or more of those who have been killed in the drug war were on the wrong side of the law when they died. Opponents have alleged far more civilian deaths, generally offering little more than anecdotal evidence.
Osorio blamed the lack of details on the former PAN administration. "They left it up to us to come up with the numbers; that prevented us from addressing the issue the way we would have liked to."
On Nov. 30 the Milienio news network reported that just under 59,000 died during Calderón's term, an average of 819 per month. Milenio follows the drug war closely and reports on narco violence virtually every day, while maintaining a running tally. Milenio claims nearly 59,000 died on Calderón's watch.
Feb. 10. - Mexico issues January drug war stats and death toll
Jan. 26, 2013 - Executions soar as new government passes half-way point in critical first 100 days
Sept. 6 - Peña Nieto transition team confirms: Mexican military units will remain on the streets
Jan. 11, 2012 - 47,515 have died in Mexico's five year drug war, says the country's Attorney General
© MGRR 2013. All rights reserved. This article may be cited or briefly quoted with proper attribution or a hyperlink, but not reproduced without permission.
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