In a press conference to announce the mobilization of National Guard troops to Washington, Trump also cited capitals such as Bogota, Lima and Mexico City in his example
The president of, included in a list of several “violent capitals” on Monday (11). In a press conference to announce the mobilization of National Guard troops to Washington, Trump also cited capitals such as Bogota, Lima and Mexico City in his example. “Washington is double, triple of violence of all of them. Would you like to live in such a place? I don’t think so. The other cities are very bad, but not as bad as Washington,” he told reporters, adding that the homicide rate for every 100,000 inhabitants of the Federal District is lower than Washington’s. Atlas of Violence points out that the Federal District recorded 347 homicides in 2023, which is equivalent to a rate of 11 murders per 100,000 inhabitants. Washington had 274 homicides in the same year, but, as the population is much lower, the index reaches 39.86 per 100,000 inhabitants.
Trump of the Republican Party today invoked Section 740 of the Autonomy Law of Columbia District to declare public security emergency and assume control of the Washington Metropolitan Police Department to contain the insecurity he classified as “out of control.” While Trump made the statements, about 150 people gathered north of the White House to protest, claiming that the president should not impose his control over the city. In the first six months of 2024 there were 75 homicides, and by 2025 the number dropped to 63, a 16%reduction. Trump expanded his threat and warned that he could lead to the idea of sending federal forces to more cities with mayors of the Democratic Party, such as New York, Chicago and Los Angeles, if they can’t “clean themselves”
Washington mayor Muriel Bowser claimed on Monday that Trump is aware of the city’s advances in relation to the crime rate’s fall, after he has issued an executive order to assume federal control of the police department of the American capital due to insecurity. “I won’t minimize what has been said, nor do I want to minimize the intrusion in our autonomy,” Democratic Party Bowser said at a news conference. The mayor of the American capital added that in “every conversation” he has with Trump informs him of the advances regarding crime and that the president was informed about the reduction in homicides.
*With information from Estadão Content and EFE
Posted by Sarah Paula
