Mexico able to deliver security "only in certain zones"

From an op-ed in the New York Times of Feb. 13, 2014, addressing Michoacán violence and the rise of the autodefensas:

"Mexico, like several Latin American countries, is able to guarantee security and the rule of law only in certain zones. The lifeblood of law and order manages to flow near the heart of power, around the big cities, but the farther away we get, the weaker the pulse, and in some places there is none at all. Police officers are few and corrupt, judges live under threat from local despots and strongmen, and the legitimate authorities have been paid off by illegal ones. It’s like the American Wild West." Read the full article here.

Feb. 17 - Michoacán belongs to organized crime: 55% of Mexicans
Feb. 17 - Mexicans have greater confidence in their military forces than any other public institution