"Where once drug production and trafficking dominated as the main criminal enterprise, extortion schemes are now taking over and becoming increasingly sophisticated. Extortion cases have risen in recent years, at least in terms of reported complaints, for a crime long known to have a high level of unreported incidents. The executive branch, led by Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum, launched a special strategy in July to tackle the problem, though its results remain uncertain."
"Little by little it became more widespread, until it mutated, and now it's not just about paying for protection, but also the [organized crime groups'] interest in embedding themselves in production chains, in becoming part of the business community, he adds. The assassination of the mayor of Uruapan this past weekend, coupled with the fatal attack a few days ago against Bernardo Bravo, representative of the lemon producers of the Apatzingan Valley in Michoacan, reveals a paradigm shift."
Mexico records declines in homicides and many high-impact crimes while extortion is rising and spreading beyond reported complaints. Criminal organizations shifted from drug production and trafficking toward extortion schemes that have become more sophisticated and invasive. Extortion now includes demands for protection, efforts to embed in production chains, and attempts to join the business community, extending criminal control into market regulation. High levels of unreported incidents obscure the full scale of the crime. The federal executive launched a special strategy in July under President Claudia Sheinbaum, but the effectiveness of that response remains unclear amid continued criminal expansion.
Read at english.elpais.com
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