Little progress against kidnappings

In 2004, kidnapping rate motivated the March of Silence against Insecurity and Kidnappings, which gathered – according to the organizers – 350,000 people in Mexico City and thousands more in other cities across 16 states. Fourteen years later, the situation remains virtually unchanged and kidnapping cases have set a new record.

To see that almost after a decade and a half of this mobilization we are still back where we started, or worse, it's disappointing, to say the least.

EL UNIVERSAL informs today that kidnappings have risen by 22% in the first five years and two months of the Peña Nieto administration , in comparison to the same period of time of the Felipe Calderón administration, thus, it's logical to assume that by the end of the current administration, we will see a new record in kidnapping cases.

The resources to fight this crime haven't dwindled and the strategies implemented to deter it have been many. Over MXN$ 2 billion have been sent to the five regions the country was divided into by the National Anti-Kidnapping Coordination , created in 2014 in order to unify efforts and coordinate the operation, management, evaluation, and follow-up of the actions of those in charge of public security at a federal and state level, including Mexico City authorities. The creation of this organizations is, perhaps, the most relevant strategy devised.

To whom do we attribute that we haven't obtained the desired results despite the efforts taken?

Experts have signaled as the main cause the excessive dependency of local security forces on federal support to fight kidnappings. State and municipal authorities will always be the first line of defense against crime, therefore, their training and adequate equipment should be constant.

According to testimonies gathered by this newspaper, the perception is that there is collusion between local authorities and organized crime . This is something we should change in the short term but actions undertaken thus far have proved to be futile in this regard.

In a country where we can even talk about new modalities of kidnappings – express and virtual – the worst that can happen is to consider this, or any other crime, a normal occurrence in our everyday lives.

The weaknesses have been pointed out, the citizens demand security; it's time the necessary adjustments are made and that we know in detail the proposals of those aspiring to rule this country.

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