MEXICO CITY — Armored cars and body armor in Mexico are no longer exclusively for government officials, foreign executives and the super rich, as a raging drug war spreads across the country, leading to a spike in orders. Sales of armored vehicles rose 20 percent this year, the bloodiest in the government's four-year fight against the cartels, to 1,900 units, according to the Mexican Armored Car Association. In a garage in Mexico City, technicians this month were busy fitting bulletproof glass and armor plating to vehicles ranging from luxury cars to humble family sedans. Mexico's worsening war between rival drug cartels and state security forces has killed more than 33,000 since late 2006, stoking fears among ordinary people, especially as civilian deaths grow in northern cities Monterrey and Ciudad Juarez. Authorities say the vast majority of drug-related violence is not directed at ordinary citizens, but high-profile kidnappings and extortions have rattled middle-class citizens. Attacks on public officials increased in 2010 and mayors, political candidates and other regional politicians were all victims of drug cartels seeking to expand their influence. That violence has also spurred sales to municipalities and other non-traditional buyers of armored vehicles. And while the most sophisticated armored vehicles, which cost more than $120,000, are out of reach of middle-class consumers, less costly protection, including bullet-resistant clothing, is being snapped up.
#
No comments:
Post a Comment