Mexican government takes control of Lazaro Cardenas

   The Mexican military and federal police have taken control of the port city of Lazaro Cardenas.
   CNN said a government spokesman told it that “the Mexican navy, army, federal police and attorney general’s office swept into both the port and city of Lazaro Cardenas on Monday, relieving local law enforcement of its duties.”
   The Wall St. Journal said Eduardo Sanchez, Mexico’s spokesman for security matters, told it that “top Navy personnel will take the jobs of port manager and captain of the Lazaro Cardenas port, while the army and federal police will take over security, and disarm and evaluate the city’s police.”
   The port is in the state of Michoacan, which CNN reported has been a “hot spot of violence between cartels and, more recently, vigilante groups.” It also said the port has been attractive for smuggling.
   Sanchez told CNN the objective of the operation is to “strengthen the rule of law, as well as the legality of the daily commercial activities of the port.”
   According tho the American Association of Port Authorities, Lazaro Cardenas handled more than 1.2 million TEU in 2012, making it the second largest container port in the country after Manzanillo.