Living with Drug Wars - Mexico

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The city of Juarez is one of the most violent cities in the world with more than 11,000 murders in recent years. With the city's death toll rising above Syria's, Mexico is on the verge of becoming a failed state.

"Everybody is killing everybody", says local photographer Julian Cardona, who for thirty years has documented Juarez in terminal decline. In a city where no tourist or foreigner dares to come, locals are leaving in droves and many neighbourhoods lie abandoned and deserted. The remaining inhabitants barricade themselves behind high walls and barbed wire. Even funerals are no longer safe. "They know relatives or friends are going to be attending", says Julian. Unable to offer its population safety and security, the police force, guilty of widespread corruption, is unwilling to stand against the terror of the criminal gangs. Meanwhile, even innocent children are being caught in the crossfire. Arcelia Medrano tearfully recounts the brutal slaying of her child when gunmen accidentally walked into the wrong house. "They took my son to hospital. He was riddled with bullets."