Bloodshed set to intensify in drugs war, says Mexican president

President Felipe Calderon has warned that bloodshed in his war against drug cartels will most likely intensify even as Mexicans grapple with already alarming levels of violence.

More than 28,000 people in Mexico have died in drug violence since Calderon launched his drug fight when he took office in late 2006, and gruesome attacks are on the rise.

Over the weekend, four decapitated bodies, their genitals and index fingers cut off, were hung upside down from a bridge in a popular resort outside Mexico City. Another two bodies were dumped near the same bridge yesterday, police said.

But Mr Calderon told a radio station that escalating bloodshed was a sign that the cartels were on the run.

"I don't rule out that there might be more bouts of the violence we're witnessing, and what's more, the victory we are seeking and will gain is unthinkable without more violence," Mr Calderon said. "This is a process of self-destruction for the criminals," he added.

Backed by millions of dollars in US aid, Mr Calderon has sent more than 45,000 troops and thousands of police to fight the cartels that are battling over smuggling routes into the United States and the local narcotics market.

Despite taking down several top drug lords and making tens of thousands of arrests, Mr Calderon faces pressure as growing insecurity scares off tourists and hurts local businesses extorted by drug gangs.

He compared himself to a doctor who diagnosed cancer. "The cancer didn't start when the doctor arrived and detected it. It comes from way back," he said.

Most Mexicans support the drug war, but a jump in civilian deaths is prompting calls for a change in strategy.