Mexico Congress votes to keep military on streets
Mexico’s Congress has voted in favor of extending the presence of the military on the streets until 2028.
Troops have been carrying out public security duties for years as part of Mexico’s war against drugs and the gangs which control their trade.
But critics say extending the military’s duties for another four years further militarises the country.
Rights groups say the militarisation of police duties has led to human rights abuses and further violence.
But members of the president’s party argued that if the army were to be taken off the streets, Mexico’s population would be left at the mercy of organized crime gangs.
The bill was passed after a marathon session in the Chamber of Deputies with 339 votes in favor and 155 against.
It will still have to be passed by the legislatures of 31 states and the capital, Mexico City, to come into law, but the big hurdle was getting it approved in Congress.
The move has the backing of President Andrés Manuel López Obrador.
Before coming to office, López Obrador was an opponent of having troops on the streets, and he campaigned on a promise to return them to their barracks.
Once in office, he created a new civilian-led force, the Guardia Nacional (National Guard), to replace the federal police and to boost security in areas wracked by cartel violence.
But he then pushed for the National Guard to come under the control of the army, a move which was approved by Congress last month.
The president argued that having the 115,000-strong force under the control of the military would prevent corruption.
Agencies