Avoid Mexico unless you absolutely have no choice but to go there

It looks like Mexico's cartel wars are flaring up again, even more deadly than before - and its new government isn't doing much to stop them.

Mexico’s drug war appears to be back — and it may be worse this time around than in the bloody years of the government’s 2006-2012 offensive against drug cartels.

Back then, the worst of the violence was confined to a few cities. Now it is spread out throughout the country. Once it was not uncommon for gangs to kill adults but leave children unharmed. Now, the killing of children alongside their parents has become all too frequent.

Perhaps the most disconcerting change: Bloody cartel violence outraged Mexicans and captured international attention for the drug war, which saw 27,000 homicides during its peak in 2011. Today, even though the number of Mexico’s homicides soared to near 35,000 last year, the bloodshed seems to draw less attention and indignation.

It has all left many Mexicans wondering which way to turn.

. . .

Hope notes Mexico has a lamentable record in investigating and prosecuting killings — over 90 percent of crime go unpunished.
“The risk involved in killing a man, or killing his whole family, is the same,” the analyst said. Under that logic, wiping out an entire family “has its advantages. It is more intimidating, it is easier to carry out, and it makes escaping easier.”

. . .

To the extent possible, [Mexican President] López Obrador has avoided violent confrontations with gangs that were often blamed for spawning violence during Calderón’s 2006-2012 administration. López Obrador has even personally congratulated troops who allowed themselves to be abducted and disarmed by vigilante groups that are often linked to cartels.

There's more at the link.

My mind boggles at that article in general, but in particular at the last sentence quoted above.  Why congratulate troops who tamely surrender, rather than fight to maintain law and order?  If that's the example the President prefers, why have troops at all?  Why not just let the cartels walk into the military's armories and take what they want, when they want it?  Why pay troops to carry it to them?  If this doesn't demonstrate cartel control of Mexico's government, what will?

All this, of course, provides yet more pressure on those living in Mexico to get the hell out of there, and come to the USA by any means available, even illegally.  What have they got to lose, compared to what awaits them at home?  Our border and illegal migration problems, bad as they are, probably aren't even a fraction of what they're going to become if this goes on.

Peter