Mexico to send troops to crack down on criminal groups

The Mexican government will unleash a new wave of troops to crack down on criminal groups in regions where a surge in violence led to more than 25,000 murders last year, officials said. National Security Commissioner Renato Sales said on Sunday federal police troops will work with local officials to round up known major criminals and bolster investigations, Reuters reported. The aim was “to recover peace and calm for all Mexicans,” he said, without providing details on the number of federal police to be deployed. Violence is a central issue ahead of the presidential election in July. Mexican President Enrique Pena Nieto’s ruling Institutional Revolutionary Party is trailing in third place in recent polls.