Why Mexicans chose López Obrador as their new leader, in four graphs

“Hugs, not gunfire.” (López Obrador campaign slogan)

Whereas there were under 16,000 homicides in 2014, the number had increased to over 20,000 by 2016 and nearly 30,000 homicides last year.

Fighting drug violence was one of López Obrador’s most frequently repeated campaign promises, even though the then-candidate came up with an unusual solution: an amnesty for some individual involved in the drug business, primarily farmers found guilty of planting marijuana and opium poppy.

The use of illegal drugs has been on a steady rise since the early 2000s, and López Obrador has appeared open to the legalization of certain drugs.