4 Charts That Sum Up How Mexicans Feel About the State of Mexico

An estimated 60,000 people died in Mexico’s drug war from 2006 to 2012.

Things haven’t improved much since then, even with a new president, Enrique Peña Nieto, taking office last year. And Mexicans are really tired of drug-related violence, according to a report released on Thursday by the Pew Research Center.

Here are four charts that show you how fed up Mexicans are:

1. Crime is a top concern

Crime, cartels, military, illegal drugs — all of these are factors tied to the drug war.

2. People don’t think the current strategy is working

Nearly 60 percent of Mexicans found that the government either wasn’t having an impact on crime or was actually losing ground.

3. A regime change didn’t help people’s spirits

The election of Enrique Peña Nieto brought a note of optimism to Mexicans in 2012 because he promised to change the way the country fought drug cartels. But it appears those good feelings are fading as crime continues to be a serious concern.

4. Mexicans are willing to give up their rights to combat crime

This is an indicator of how tired Mexicans have become with drug-related violence. A strong majority of people think law and order is more important than personal freedom.

Ted Hesson was formerly the immigration editor at Fusion, covering the issue from Washington, D.C. He also writes about drug laws and (occasionally) baseball. On the side: guitars, urban biking, and fiction.