The recent deployment of soldiers in the historic center of Guadalajara has been met mostly with approval by residents, businesses and tourists, according to several media outlets that have carried out impromptu surveys.
The special deployment of some 2,000 soldiers, along with police officers from federal, state and municipal forces, in “volatile” areas of Jalisco, is a short-term measure aimed at keeping the peace during a violent period in which drug cartels are “readjusting” their territories, authorities say.
As well as downtown, the soldiers have been deployed on foot in other popular zones, including Colonia Americana, Medrano, Obregón, Santa Tere, Echeverría and Rancho Nuevo. Army patrols are also visible on metro-area avenues, including the periferico (city beltway).
Other parts of Jalisco where troops have been deployed include the southern sector of the state around Ciudad Guzman, the Lake Chapala zone, Los Altos and the more isolated northern region.