President Bernardo Arévalo recognized this Monday, April 27, an increase in homicides in the country and attributed it to a phenomenon known as the “bladder effect,” related to the displacement of crime to other areas under pressure from security forces.
The president explained that this phenomenon occurs when police action is concentrated in specific sectors through operations or a greater presence of agents, which causes criminal groups to migrate to areas where they can operate with lower risk.
The situation has been evident in zone 6 of the capital, where in recent days violent events have been recorded that have raised the alerts of the authorities.
According to Arévalo, the operations implemented at different points have forced criminals to try to establish themselves in areas that did not previously represent a priority interest. This, he added, forces us to rethink security strategies, because criminal behavior is constantly changing.
“Just as the crime map transforms over time, the State’s police action must also be adjusted to respond effectively,” he indicated.
The president assured that adjustments are currently being made to confront this phenomenon and contain the rise in violence. In the last month, authorities have recorded an increase in homicides; However, he noted that the figures still remain below those reported last year.
Despite this, he acknowledged that the situation is worrying and that the Government’s objective is to maintain the downward trend and move towards a scenario in which events of this nature are not recorded.
The president’s accusations arise in the midst of recent violent events in zone 6, where last week A group of diners was attacked by gunfire in a cevicheria. The attack left at least six dead and several injured, including a 5-year-old child, whose parents died at the scene.
One day later, Another armed attack occurred in the Cipresales neighborhood, also in the same area, where a group of people was attacked by gunfire. The incident left two dead and two women injured.
According to security authorities, these events would be related to disputes between criminal groups for control of territories for the retail sale of drugs.
Meanwhile, the Government assures that it will continue with the necessary operations and adjustments to prevent violence from spreading to other areas and to strengthen security in the most affected sectors.
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