Mexican president seeks help from public to beat crime

0 Comments | AFP, August, 2008

MEXICO CITY (AFP) — President Felipe Calderon called on all Mexicans to help fight escalating crime, a day after tens of thousands protested against insecurity and impunity across the country.

Violence has spiked across Mexico since Calderon, who took office at the end of 2006, launched a crackdown on drug trafficking and related attacks, including the deployment of more than 36,000 soldiers nationwide.

As Calderon met with protest leaders, police in the southern state of Guerrero reported the discovery of the head of a 50-year-old man in an ice cooler, making a total of 19 headless bodies found since Thursday across the country, and adding to a total of almost 3,000 murders this year.

Angry citizens across the country's 32 states took part in Saturday's...