Rumors persist regarding last Tuesday’s Mexico City plane crash.

Fourteen people were killed, including the number two government official. Interior Secretary Juan Camilo Mourino had led the country’s war on drugs.

This week, Mexico swore in a new Interior Secretary, Fernando Gomez Mont. But talk continues of possible foul play in Mourino’s death.

We’re following coverage from La Opinion, El Universal, the National Post, the Associated Press, and the BBC.

We begin last Tuesday, when a Learjet crashed into rush hour traffic in Mexico City.

On board was Interior Secretary Juan Camilo Mourino – the country’s second-highest-ranking government official – and former anti-drug prosecutor Jose Luis Santiago Vasconelos, who had previously survived an assassination attempt, according to the Associated Press.

Mexican drug cartels were reported to have placed a multi-million dollar bounty on Vasconelos’ head.
Mexican officials called the crash an accident, and last Thursday, sent the black boxes from the plane to the U.S. for further investigation, according to the AP. (AP)

Friday, Mexico’s El Universal reported that negligence by an air control tower controller may have helped lead to the crash. (El Universal)

But that hasn’t stopped speculation about whether or not this really was an accident.

La Opinion – the largest Spanish-language newspaper in the U.S. – said Tuesday that sabotage “cannot be ruled out.”

 “The argument that the airplane was under the protection of the Armed Forces is not very convincing; the penetration of the security forces by the drug cartels is common knowledge.

Furthermore, the LearJet 45 is considered to be one of the safest airplanes of its kind, there having been just two crashes since 1995.” (La Opinión)

An editorial in Canada’s National Post cited American police sources, saying:

“A gun and spent cartridges were found in the wreckage, indicating that perhaps the pilot was assassinated.” (www.nationalpost.com)

Mourino was named Interior Minister in January, and immediately began battling the country’s drug cartels, the BBC said.

“[He] championed the battle with drug gangs determined to use Mexico's porous northern border as an entry point for their contraband to the US.

“Despite his department deploying 36,000 extra troops and forming specialist units to combat the traffickers, killings and kidnappings have continued to soar.” (BBC)

The cartels may attempt to exert influence on next year’s midterm elections in Mexico. The Los Angeles Times reports on this possibility.

“Officials have warned of drug traffickers bribing and intimidating candidates ahead of next year's state races.” (The Los Angeles Times)

How will Mexico respond to this tragedy? Will the country be able to curb drug-related violence? We invite you to leave your comments with us – and please check out our sources.