Police accountability in Dominican Republic and security crisis in Mexico

In the Dominican Republic, National Police Director Major General Ernesto Rafael Rodríguez García addressed concerns regarding police violence. During a supervisory visit to Santiago, he stated that authorities are obligated to protect citizens and warned that anyone who harms innocent people will face the police. This comes amid allegations that deaths of suspected criminals, often labeled as ‘exchanges of gunfire,’ are actually summary executions, a claim supported by social media evidence and witness testimonies.

In Mexico, President Claudia Sheinbaum attributed the security crisis in Sinaloa to foreign interference. She argued that the intervention leading to the capture of Ismael ‘El Mayo’ Zambada caused the Sinaloa Cartel to fracture, triggering a surge in violence. Sheinbaum noted that while homicide rates in the state had been below one per day prior to Zambada’s detention, the subsequent factional conflict increased crime, though she claimed current levels are being contained compared to earlier in her administration.