Army will fight crime, new Mexican president says

MEXICO CITY—President Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador used his first full day in office Sunday to double down on promises to deploy Mexico’s military for public security to address a key concern: stemming rampant violence and rising murders.

Speaking before rows of generals at a sun-drenched military installation in one of Mexico City’s toniest neighbourhoods, Lopez Obrador said the retooling of the military is “indispensable” in tackling the daunting task of making Mexico safer.

The plan requires a constitutional reform that would allow the marines and army to form a National Guard to police much of the country.

Mexico’s Supreme Court last month struck down a controversial law signed last year that created a similar legal framework, ruling that the measure was an unconstitutional attempt to normalize the use of the armed forces in public safety.

Hopes for change are running high among the more than 30 million Mexicans who voted for Lopez Obrador in a July 1 election victory. At the same time, worries are mounting among critics who see an expanding authoritarian streak.