EL PASO, Texas (Border Report) – The Mexican government says it is sending another 2,100 troops to Juarez, in addition to the 400 that arrived last week to help police patrol the streets amid a spike in homicides and other violent crimes.
“When criminals feel empowered, when they feel they have control, that is when society is most affected,” said Gen. Saul Luna Jaimes, head of the army’s 5 th Military Zone based in Chihuahua. “These troops the Secretary of Defense sends are a message to criminals that we have authority, that at least part of the State does not want them empowered – because we know that in many places there is a network of protection for criminal groups.
Mexico sends 400 soldiers to Juarez amid spike in violence
“We are not blaming all the authorities. We know there are bad people in all levels of government. We are not making accusations, just saying that in order for organized crime to exist, some in all levels of government must be helping them.”
Luna said he expects 3,500 soldiers to be patrolling Juarez 24-7 by the end of February. The troops are coming from the states of Coahuila and Nuevo Leon.