Mexico plans major military presence in Acapulco after hurricane

MEXICO CITY (Reuters) – The Mexican government has announced a plan to significantly increase the presence of the National Guard in the state of Guerrero, particularly in the crime-ridden city of Acapulco, following the destruction caused by Hurricane Otis last month.

Hurricane Otis, the most powerful storm to ever hit Mexico’s Pacific coast, brought devastation to Acapulco, resulting in numerous deaths, extensive damage, and widespread looting.

The plan involves a massive deployment of National Guard troops in Acapulco, making Guerrero the state with the largest National Guard presence in Mexico, the government reported.

“This plan aims to maintain a permanent National Guard presence in the municipality of Acapulco to ensure continued security,” said Defense Minister Luis Cresencio Sandoval at a press conference with President Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador.

As part of the plan, the National Guard presence in Acapulco will see a significant increase from 360 members to 9,860, while the total number of troops in Guerrero will rise to 14,620 from the current 5,120.

This number is more than double the approximately 7,000 troops currently stationed in the violence-plagued state of Guanajuato, which has the highest National Guard presence in the country.

To accommodate the influx of troops, Mexico plans to establish 38 bases in Acapulco, a city with nearly 900,000 residents.

Acapulco has long struggled with high levels of crime, and in 2022, it was listed among the 10 most violent cities in the world, according to data from the Citizen Council for Public Security and Criminal Justice.

While the homicide rate has somewhat decreased in recent years, the city has still experienced a series of violent incidents, including the murder of a journalist and the deadly ambush of 13 police officers near the city.

The creation of the National Guard has been a key component of Lopez Obrador’s security strategy, but it has faced criticism from those who argue that his policies have not effectively improved Mexico’s safety, as evidenced by the record number of homicides during his tenure as president.

(Reporting by Brendan O’Boyle; editing by Jonathan Oatis)