What has been Mexico's strategy to tackle drug-related violence?
The army has been deployed to Michoacan where violence has been on the rise over the past months
Before taking up office, President Enrique Pena Nieto said he would break with the approach of Felipe Calderon, his predecessor.
Mr Calderon had deployed the army to go after cartel kingpins and had declared "war" on the drug gangs.
Mr Pena Nieto promised a lower-profile approach aimed at tackling the violence on a local level by setting up a national gendarmerie to take over from the troops.
But with growing violence in Michoacan, he too sent the army to back up federal and local police forces.
He also struck a deal with vigilante groups, allowing them to keep their weapons as long as they agreed to be integrated in the official security forces.