Pena Nieto promised that he will order 10000-strong militarized police force known as the national gendarmerie to be created.
Pena Nieto took office on Dec. 1 2012 in a tough campaign that candidates had to run while in the midst of economic turmoil and rampant crime especially homicides committed by the bloodthirsty cartels.
Not a week goes by without Mexican police or the military discovering yet another mass grave said Joseph Listron a criminologist and crime scene investigator. Mexicos crime and violence are detrimental to any desire to become a prosperous nation.
Pena Nieto promised that he will order 10000-strong militarized police force known as the national gendarmerie to be created. The military would continue to patrol Mexicos streets until the gendarmerie is ready to take over but the Mexican people will soon see an end to soldiers in their neighborhoods.
In addition Mexican Attorney General position will be elevated and its staff increased to handle national prosecutions Pena Nieto told the Public Security National Council of Mexico.
The new president also promised that his government would invest $9.17 billion in 2013 for crime prevention programs.
Pena Nietos new strategy is different from the one used by his predecessor Felipe Calderon who relied on the military in a war with drug cartels according to U.S. law enforcement officers assigned to Mexicos drug war.
While Calderons strategy is seen as a monumental failure with more than 60000 drug-related killings occurring during his six-year term Im not betting on this new presidents Obamanesque transformation of the Mexican law enforcement strategy said Iris Aquino a former undercover narcotics officer.
In his first address to the nation as president Mexicos Enrique Pena Nieto said his government would take inspiration from the past to transform Mexico into the power it should be.
Mexico is now ready to take off in the 21st century we have the historic opportunity to transform Mexico into the power it should be said Pena Nieto in the capital citys National Palace shortly after taking the oath of office earlier in the day.