MEXICO CITY, Aug. 20 (Xinhua) -- Insecurity is still among the biggest challenges facing the incoming administration, Mexican President Enrique Pena Nieto said on Monday.
"We acknowledge there are regions in the country with degrees of insecurity, several places where it has increased, and that it continues to be one of the biggest challenges for this and I believe the next administration," Pena Nieto said at a joint press conference with president-elect Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador, who is scheduled to take office on Dec. 1.
"I am the first to admit that while there was progress in matters of security, it was not enough to reach our goal," Pena Nieto said.
Crime is rampant in Mexico with more than 29,000 homicides in 2017, according to data from the National Public Security System.
Pena Nieto and his successor spoke to reporters following a private meeting, along with their respective cabinets, as part of the transition process.
