A $197m (£133m) aid package to help Mexico fight drugs cartels has been released by the US government.
It is part of the Merida Initiative, a $400m (£270m) scheme to assist Mexico's efforts to take on the drugs trade.
US Ambassador Tony Garza formally unveiled the programme, which includes the donation of helicopters and surveillance aircraft, in Mexico City.
Mexican newspaper El Universal says at least 5,000 people have been killed in drugs-related violence this year.
The newspaper, which has been keeping tallies for the past four years, said that the number of people killed by organised crime was on course to be double the 2,700 deaths registered in 2007.
Deaths had been happening at an average of one an hour during the past 42 days, El Universal said.