Mexico's President Backs Peace Agreement with Cartels

What's the story?

• Mexico's President Andrés Manuel López Obrador has publicly supported an open letter to 10 organized crime groups, calling for an end to forced disappearances. 
• Activist Delia Quiroa Flores Valdez penned the open letter in a quest to find her missing brother.
• Obrador said in a press conference:

"I agree and I hope we achieve peace – that's what we all want. Violence is irrational and we're going to continue looking for peace, to achieve peace and that is what we're doing. And if there is an initiative of this kind, of course we support it."

Mexico's disappearance crisis

• There are around 112,000 individuals officially reported missing in Mexico, but the actual number is believed to be much higher.
• Most disappearances occurred since 2006 when former President Felipe Calderón announced a "war on drugs" and cartel violence.
• Disappearances in Mexico are linked to organized crime and, at times, involve government agents. Victims encompass various backgrounds, including migrants, victims of human and sexual trafficking, victims of domestic violence, and those affected by cartel violence. 
• Less than 6% of disappearances result in prosecutions. 

Government solution 

• President Obrador pledged to combat cartel violence through non-confrontational social programs, which he coined "hugs, not bullets," a shift away from former President Felipe Calderon's more aggressive approach.
• Obrador has also rejected U.S. military intervention to address drug cartel violence, citing a violation of Mexico's sovereignty.

Do you support the "hugs, not bullets" programs?

-Laura Woods

(Photo credit: lopezobrador.org)