Young Mexicans ‘seeking jobs with criminals’
Young people in Mexico are increasingly turning towards the world of organised crime in order to find a job, an expert has warned.
Victor Clark-Alfaro, director of the Binational Center for Human Rights, told Reuters that many of those looking for work are aged just 17 and 18.
This, he noted, is younger than the age people would start getting involved with organised crime about ten years ago.
Mr Clark-Alfaro said teenagers are often looking for jobs with gangs because they provide opportunities for "a section of the population who don't have a lot of other options".
He stated that younger recruits tend to be more aggressive than their older counterparts.
Furthermore, Mr Clark-Alfaro said they are often "less likely to care about the consequences than adults".
This comes after the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development warned that child poverty is continuing to be a major problem in many of its member states, such as Mexico.
