(Angus Reid Global Monitor) - Many people in Mexico say that the government crackdown on the illegal drug trade is making them feel less safe than before, according to a poll by Buendía & Laredo published in El Universal. 40 per cent of respondents say the frontal war on drug dealers has made them feel less secure, while 25 per cent say it has made them feel more secure.

Mexican voters chose their new president in July 2006. Official results placed Felipe Calderón of the conservative National Action Party (PAN) as the winner with 36.68 per cent of all cast ballots. Calderón—a former energy secretary—took over as Mexico’s head of state in December. During his campaign, he vowed to combat illicit drug trafficking and drug-related crime, as well as to boost Mexico’s economy.

Criminal activity has been a predicament in Mexico for the past few years. According to official National Public Security office statistics, at least 8,416 kidnappings have taken place between 1994 and March 2008. Mexico City has become infamous over the past few years for its "express kidnappings"—a form of quick hostage-taking in which victims are forced to vacate their bank accounts from automated tellers at gunpoint.

As of Oct. 6, 50 people had died in just seven days in Tijuana, a town bordering the United States where criminal activity is rampant. Last week, El Universal referred to the president’s crackdown in its editorial, stating, "The violence is not going to stop soon. There will be more actions. However, neither the government nor the public can turn back."

Polling Data

Has the government crackdown on the drug trade made you feel more secure, just as secure, or less secure?

Source: Buendía & Laredo / El Universal
Methodology: Face-to-face interviews with 999 Mexican adults, conducted from Sept. 26 to Sept. 29, 2008. Margin of error is 3.5 per cent.

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