Weekly Report - 24 May 2012 (WR-12-20)

It is not usual for a high-ranking government official to lobby openly for a multi-agency response to a problem. That, though is what retired General Miguel Vásquez, deputy minister of citizen security, has been doing since soon after he took over his post last November. The problem is the proliferation of youth gangs, which Vásquez says are currently responsible for 80% of all crimes committed in the country.