Diario: 81 persons killed in Juarez in June

El Diario de Juarez newspaper reports 81 persons were killed in Juarez in the month of June.

This was the second deadliest month so far this year, 87 persons were killed in February.

Juarez city officials blame the increase in violence to new conflicts between criminal groups and cited

an increase in killings in public spaces.

El Diario interviewed Juarez Criminologist Oscar Maynez who says the homicides have been increasing for more than a year and are a result of failed law enforcement strategies.

Maynez says authorities have never had an effective strategy to combat crime adding “The dynamic of organized crime has always been there. It has to do with social, economic and political conditions…the factors that nurture organized crime have not been addressed: lack of economic opportunities, dysfunctional institutions, corruption.”

Juarez homicides in 2017

January 54
February 87
March 71
April 31
May 45
June 81
TOTAL 369

Looking back over the years, more than 13,000 people have been victims of homicide in Juarez since 2007.

YEAR Homicides
2007 320
2008 1623
2009 2754
2010 3622
2011 2086
2012 803
2013 535
2014 429
2015 311
2016 538
2017 (Jan-June) 369