Ciudad Juarez has become synonymous with the violence and crime committed by the Mexican drug cartels. Over the past several years, countless numbers of women have disappeared or been killed, and in 2008 alone, two thousand people were murdered. Mexican officials moved 1,500 soldiers into the region to try to regain control of the city and say they plan on having 7,000 in place by the end of the week.

Attorney General Eduardo Medina Mora said the troops were there to help support the local authorities, "Ciudad Juarez worries us deeply," he told Reuters. The city, located right on the border of the United States, is a key entry point for drug smuggling and rival gangs have been fighting for control of the area.

Mora explained why the President and armed forces decided to take this drastic step, saying, "In areas where drug traffickers have a lot of influence, sadly there is a risk that they will have an interest in influencing the formation of public power, particularly the local authority. This is something that concerns us."