The economic impact of public policies and programs to contain violence in the country advanced 2.3%, which is mainly explained by spending on the armed forces and not on prevention systems, public security, the justice system, or citizen protection.
In just two years, spending on military activities in Mexico went from 118,000 to 140,000 million pesos, which represents an increase of 20%, according to the most recent update of the Mexico Peace Index.
The economic impact of public policies and programs to contain violence in the country advanced 2.3%, which is mainly explained by spending on the armed forces and not on prevention systems, public security, the justice system, or citizen protection. In fact, spending on the latter has been cut by about 31% since 2015.
For its part, spending on public security, through the police, protection services, custody, and incarceration costs, surveillance and security of people, and the respective administration costs has decreased 32% since 2012.
Another of the items that have been most punished is that of spending directed to the justice that only in 2020 fell 1.5% compared to the previous year, according to the report of the Mexico Peace Index.
These figures reflect an increase in the authorities’ commitment to contain violence and insecurity through the use of the armed forces and their budgetary empowerment instead of promoting prevention and monitoring programs.
The study also points out the significant barriers the country faces in terms of justice; which causes a greater incidence of impunity and therefore a greater presence of crime and violence.
Source: El Economista
