Press Armed Gang Activities In Southern Region, Mexico Deploys 1,500 Joint Officials

Illustration of the Mexican federal police. (Wikimedia Commons/Jonas Zacarias)

JAKARTA - The Mexican government deployed more than 1,500 joint security officers, including police, soldiers and the National Guard to the southern region of the country, to increase security in areas where armed gang activity is increasing.

This comes after a viral video on social media over the weekend, which is said to have shown a convoy of members of an armed drug cartel at Frontera Comalapa, receiving applause from local residents as they drive to "free" the city from its rival cartel.

The task force was deployed to the Coalition Frontera region in Chiapas State "to ensure peace", the federal and state governments said in a joint statement.

The video is said to be verifiable, whether it shows gunmen from the cartel. Meanwhile, some local journalists said residents had to applaud.

Another unverified video posted on social media on Monday and reportedly taken in Motozintla, shows four people appear to be lying dead after being shot by gunmen.

Meanwhile, President Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador 'cancelled' the footage in a regular press conference on Monday.

"The base of support may exist in some areas of the country. But this is not a common problem. This is a very limited issue in an area and the National Guard has been deployed," said President Obrador.

President Obrador revealed that there are gangs around Frontera Comalapa and the nearby city of Motozintla "who are suspected of fighting over territory", to trade drugs coming from Central America.

"Fortunately, there are not many killings in Chiapas," said President Obrador.

However, official data showed that in the first eight months of 2023, murder in the state increased 16 percent to 348 from 300 in the same period the previous year.

Meanwhile, nationally, the death rate will decrease slightly in 2023 compared to last year, but this figure is still far above the six-year average of the previous administration.