The Mexican drug war is intensifying in interior and southern areas once thought clear of the carnage, broadening a conflict that has already overwhelmed the authorities and dispirited the public, reports the New York Times, citing analysts and new government data. Last week, two headless bodies were found in a smoldering minivan near one of Mexico City’s largest and most expensive malls.
Two other cities considered safe six months ago — Guadalajara and Veracruz — have experienced their own episodes of brutality: 26 bodies were left in the heart of Guadalajara late last year, and last month the entire Veracruz police force was fired after state officials determined that it was too corrupt to patrol a city where 35 bodies were dumped on a road in September. The spreading violence is believed to reflect a widening turf war between two big criminal organizations.