President Felipe Calderon apologised to victims of Mexico's war on drugs in an emotional meeting with bereaved families on Thursday that sought to try and quell rising anger over violence sweeping the nation. In a live television broadcast lasting several hours, Calderon sat in silence listening to accusations from grieving parents that his government was killing Mexico's youth and allowing criminals to run rampant across the country.
Some 40,000 lives have been lost since his army-led crackdown on drug cartels began at the end of 2006, and Calderon said he regretted the loss of life the violence had caused. "As a father, as a Mexican and as president, I am deeply aggrieved by Mexico's pain," he said in a hall inside Chapultepec Castle in central Mexico City. "We must ask forgiveness for the people who died at the hands of these criminals, for not having acted against these criminals." The drug war has hit support for Calderon's ruling National Action Party and polls suggest the centre-right grouping will be ousted in a presidential election due in July, 2012.