Mexico murders hit record high, dealing blow to president

Mexican President Enrique Pena Nieto attends the Plenary Session of the One Planet Summit at the Seine Musicale venue in Boulogne-Billancourt, near Paris, France December 12, 2017. REUTERS/Etienne Laurent/Pool

MEXICO CITY (Reuters) - Mexico has this year registered its highest murder total since modern records began, according to official data, dealing a fresh blow to President Enrique Pena Nieto's pledge to get gang violence under control with presidential elections due in 2018.

A total of 23,101 murder investigations were opened in the first 11 months of this year, surpassing the 22,409 registered in the whole of 2011, figures published on Friday night by the interior ministry showed. The figures go back to 1997.