Security forces 17 Aug captured suspected leader of Gulf cartel Mario Armando Ramírez Treviño alias El Pelón or X-20 in Tamaulipas state; reinforced security along country’s north-eastern border. Army 23 Aug captured Gregorio Abeja Linares, suspected leader of Knights Templar cartel in Michoacán state. U.S. 14 Aug requested extradition of Rafael Caro Quintero 5 days after court overturned his 40-year sentence for killing of U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration agent. 40 members of self-defence group from Aquila, Michoacán arrested 14 Aug on weapons charges. Sandra Ávila Beltrán, alias Queen of the Pacific, deported 20 Aug from U.S. to Mexico to face money-laundering charges. Authorities 17 Aug found 16 bodies in Guerrero state, including 5 wearing military-style clothes; another 9 bodies with signs of torture found same day in Michoacán state. National Security Commissioner Manuel Mondragón y Kalb 27 Aug announced Gendarmerie will begin operations July 2014.

State and municipal elections held in 14 of 32 states 7 July saw violence against candidates, reports ahead of polls of attacks on campaign HQs and thefts of ballot boxes. Spate of attacks on federal police in Michoacán 23 July left at least 22 dead, including 2 police and 20 gunmen; 2,000 security agents sent to back up forces deployed in May. Navy 15 July arrested Miguel Ángel Treviño Morales alias Z-40, leader of Los Zetas criminal cartel, near U.S. border. Authorities 17 July rescued 81 Central American migrants kidnapped in Tamaulipas; same day found body of El Imparcial newspaper reporter; 18 July found 5 men burned to death inside abandoned truck on Saltillo-Monterrey highway; 29 July arrested 3 alleged members of Knights Templar drug cartel wanted for killing high-ranking navy officers. At least 7 human heads found 2 July in plastic bags on outskirts of Guadalajara.

Bodies of 3 left-wing activists, including local leader of Party of Democratic Revolution, found along road in Guerrero state 3 June. Armed group 4 June killed mayor in southern state Oaxaca. Mayoral candidate from ruling PRI party found dead 12 June, 2 days after being kidnapped. Gunmen in Oaxaca 27 June killed leader of left-wing Democratic Revolution Party (PRD) Nicolas Estrada, 29 June critically injured PRI politician Rosalia Palma. Mob burned 3 men alive in Chiapas state 4 June. Security forces 4 June rescued 165 migrants in Tamaulipas state and 58 migrants 12 June in Sonora state. Army 20 June took control of public safety in several municipalities in Durango state. Interior Secretary Osorio Chong said gendarmerie to have 5,000 members,  half number previously reported.

President Peña Nieto met with U.S. President Obama 2 May to discuss security, trade and education; Obama pledged to continue cooperation despite recent restriction of access to drug intelligence for U.S. agents. Army and federal police 20 May arrived in Michoacán state in security operation against self-defence groups, organised crime. Attorney General Murillo Karam and Interior Minister Osorio Chong 17 May pledged to create special unit for missing persons. Attacks on press continued: gunmen 7 May killed press officer Cuauhtémoc Sánchez Arreola in Nayarit; El Mañana suffered cyber-attacks; author of Blog del Narco known as “Lucy” fled country following threats. Murders attributed to organised crime continued: 6 bodies found 4 May along highway in Sinaloa; 7 bodies found 5 May inside car in Mexico City suburb; 4 killed 9 May in attack against public security director Jesús Carrasco in Sinaloa; 6 killed during shoot-out at car dealership in Chihuahua 14 May; 2 men found hanging in Limón de Luna community, Michoacán.

Violence continued unabated, including 2 bar shootings in Guadalajara city 31 March leaving 6 dead; 9 peasants found decapitated in Tamaulipas state 31 March; 7 bodies found in Cancún 14 April. Undersecretary of Prevention and Citizen Participation announced further details on public security strategy: said 250 high-crime zones with populations of 60,000-100,000 will be part of social development initiative. Number of vigilante groups continues to grow in response to cartel violence; some reported to have joined forces with radical members of teachers’ union in Guerrero state who 24 April attacked offices of 4 major political parties to protest education reform. Govt reported drug-related killings Dec-April fell 14% compared to same period last year. At least 13 killed in fight between rival inmates at San Luis Potosi jail.

President Peña Nieto’s govt 17 March announced details of crime prevention plan to be implemented by Manuel Mondragon y Kalb as new head of National Security Commission; both this body and Mondragón’s functions still to be specified. Govt´s secretariat absorbed competences and resources of Public Security Secretariat, including management of Federal Police. As reports of gruesome violence continued to make headlines, attacks against journalists in north continued, with Ojinaga Noticias journalist shot dead 3 March, media offices in Ciudad Juárez, Chihuahua attacked 6 March. Unknown gunmen 9 March killed Jalisco State tourism minister. Hundreds of vigilantes took control of town Tierra Colorado, Guerrero state, after group leader killed late month.

President Peña Nieto 12 Feb unveiled new crime prevention strategy based on funding of social programs in 251 of country’s most violent towns; stressed that prevention is key to combating organised crime, not just “more sophisticated weapons, better equipment, more police, a higher presence of the armed forces”. Peña Nieto 16 Feb visited Michoacán for official launch of new strategy with talks between Federal Police and state govts. Human Rights Watch accused govt of hundreds of forced disappearances. Govt and ICRC signed agreement 21 Feb to cooperate in search for disappeared; govt 26 Feb said 26,122 people have gone missing since Dec 2006.

President Peña Nieto 9 Jan signed General Victims Law designed to provide assistance and compensation to crime victims, including relatives of estimated 70,000 people killed in drug-related violence over past 6 years. Interior Secretary Miguel Ángel Osorio Chong 14 Jan confirmed govt plans to create new intelligence agency as part of effort to better coordinate fight against organised crime. Wave of violence in Mexico City and surrounding areas left 22 people dead 12-13 Jan. Police found 16 dismembered bodies in Toluca, Mexico state 14 Jan. Security forces early Jan killed 12 suspects in gun battle in Zacatecas state. Bar shootings in Torreón, Coahuila state, left 9 dead 6 Jan. Former PAN mayoral candidate murdered in Tlaquiltenango, Morelos state, 16 Jan along with wife and son. Authorities 27 Jan pulled 17 bodies from well in Nuevo León state; 14 identified as members of Kombo Kolombia music band.

Violent protests as President Peña Nieto took office 1 Dec; 65-70 people arrested, prompting protests calling for their release. Also 1 Dec major parties signed “Pact for Mexico”, including proposals on security, justice, corruption and democratic governance; Peña Nieto 17 Dec unveiled 6-point anti-crime plan, including creation of new 10,000-member security force to be deployed in country’s most violent regions. At least 24 people killed during 18 Dec attempted jailbreak in Gómez Palacio, Durango state. 9 bodies found 2 Dec in Coahuila state, 7 of them decapitated. 13 mutilated bodies found 7 Dec in Tamaulipas state; 4 people found dead same day in Saltillo, Coahuila state capital. Gunmen 24 Dec killed 7 police in separate drug-related attacks in Michoacán, Jalisco states. Several thousand Zapatista National Liberation Army supporters marched in Chiapas state 24 Dec to commemorate 1997 mass killing of indigenous Zapatista backers.

President-elect Peña Nieto took office 1 Dec; has proposed strategy focusing on reduction of homicide, kidnapping and extortion, and creating National Gendarmerie body with military training but under civilian rule. Peña Nieto 30 Nov named cabinet, including close ally Miguel Angel Osorio Chong to head interior ministry. Former mayor of Tiquicheo, Michoacán María Santos Gorrostieta, found beaten to death days after going missing. Authorities 9 Nov charged 14 federal police officers in Aug attack against 2 CIA agents and a Mexican marine in Tres Marías, Morelos; 12 Nov arrested Gen Pacheco Salgado on suspicion of giving false information about case. 20 bodies found 26 Nov in mass grave in Chihuahua state.