Mexico Deploys National Guard To Subway After Clash

Thousands of members of the National Guard are deployed in the Mexico City subway after a string of security incidents, including this month’s clashes that left one dead, officials said Thursday.

Safety concerns are undermining public confidence in transportation systems used by millions of people in congested metropolises.

Mexico City Mayor Claudia Scheinbaum told reporters that about 6,000 National Guard soldiers would board the subway as of Thursday.

The move comes after two subway trains collided in a tunnel on Saturday, killing a young woman and injuring dozens.

It was the worst accident since part of an elevated train collapsed in May 2021, killing 26 people and injuring dozens. Less serious but unusual incidents involving wheel problems have been reported in recent months, Sheinbaum said.

She denied they were the result of budget cuts, as critics claim of the mayor, who is believed to be the frontrunner to succeed Andrés Manuel López Obrador next year.

Lopez Obrador has been accused by opponents of overseeing the “militarization” of Mexico by giving more responsibility to the military.

Lopez Obrador commented on the deployment of the National Guard in the metro:
“Whether they call it militarization or whatever they call it, we take responsibility.”