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New President
Newly elected Mexican President Felipe Calderon deploys more than 6,500 Mexican soldiers to the state of Michoacán to battle drug traffickers. -
Deploying Troops
More than 20,000 Mexican soldiers and federal police are spread out across Mexico as part of President Calderon's drug war. -
End of First Year
In the first full year of the drug war, 2,837 people are killed. -
Terrorist Attack
During an independence day celebration in Morelia's town square, grenades are thrown into the crowd, killing eight people. The incident was the first terrorist-style attack on innocent bystanders in Mexico's drug war. -
End of Year Two
In 2008, 6,844 people are killed in Mexico's drug war. -
End of Year 3
he Mexican government reports 9,635 deaths in 2009 in the drug war. -
Dead Bodies
The bodies of 72 migrants from South and Central America are discovered on a ranch in Tamaulipas state. It is believed the 58 men and 14 women were kidnapped by the Los Zetas cartel and killed for refusing to traffic drugs. -
4 Years
The Mexican government says that 34,612 citizens have been killed during the four-year drug war. -
Betrayal
Ten police officers, including a police chief, are arrested on charges of protecting the Los Zetas drug cartel. -
Gun Reports
The US government announces a plan to require gun dealers in California, Arizona, New Mexico and Texas to report the sales of semiautomatic rifles under certain conditions in an effort to stem the flow of guns to Mexican drug cartels. -
Graves
A mass grave containing more than 250 human skulls has been uncovered. The remains appear to be victims of organized crime violence killed in recent years.
