Murders in Mexico hit record as Lopez Obrador seeks justice system reform

FILE PHOTO: Mexican President Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador gestures as he speaks during his visit to the Mexican-American Mormon community in La Mora, Sonora, Mexico January 12, 2020. REUTERS/Carlos Jasso

MEXICO CITY (Reuters) - Mexico suffered its worst year for homicides in 2019, with a record 34,582 victims, official data showed on Monday, underscoring the challenge President Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador faces while waging war on drug cartels.

Lopez Obrador assumed the presidency in December 2018 pledging to pacify the country with a less confrontational approach to security, but violence has continued rising, with the number of homicide victims 2.5% higher in 2019 than a year earlier, according to the security ministry data.