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After three years in office, President Enrique Peña Nieto has not only failed to contain violence, but in fact his government is responsible for a steep 32 percent increase in homicides, according to a report published Sunday by Mexican newspaper Reforma.
Homicides are currently higher than during Peña Nieto's predecessors, Vicente Fox and Felipe Calderon, who declared an alleged “war on drugs” that left close to 100,000 people dead and tens of thousands disappeared. In the last three years, kidnappings and cases of torture have also been reported to be on the rise.
Alejandro Hope, director of Security Policy at the Mexican Competitiveness Institute (IMCO), a Mexico City-based think tank, recently predicted that in 2016 over 22,000 homicides will be reported.
RELATED: Mexican Government Accused of Fabricating Drop in Murder Rates
From December 2012 – when Peña Nieto took office, recovering the presidency after two terms led by the opposition party PAN – to October 2015, close to 50,000 homicide denunciations have been reported. This is 32 percent more than during Calderon's first three years in office.
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Striking disparity between homicide rates on each side of US–Mexico border. No spill over @o_garcia_ponce @CGDev https://t.co/VEYOcNSdPs
— Gustavo Rio León (@grioleon)
December 16, 2015
Mexico has a 100% ban on guns meaning all guns are illegal, yet their gun homicide is 3x that of the US. #guncontrol will not work.
— Snottgrass (@Snotttgrass)
December 11, 2015
According to figures by the National Public Security System or SNSP, between December 2006 and December 2009, 37,622 homicide denunciations were reported. Reforma said the majority of the homicides were linked to organized crime. In comparison, during Fox's first three years in office, 38,832 homicides were reported.
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The Reforma report suggests that Peña Nieto has lied regarding homicide rates, as he recently assured they had been reduced by 22 percent.
Reforma said that during Fox's term in office, 34 homicides were reported per day, while with Calderon, they increased to 42.9. Under Peña Nieto, 47 homicides are being reported daily.
WATCH: Violent Crime Rises During President Peña Nieto’s Administration
