Mexico City, Mexico (NTN24) Mexico’s Defence Secretary Guillermo Galvan Galvan hinted during an event on Thursday (February 09) there have been mistakes in a drug war that has killed about 50,000 people in the last five years.

He added Mexico was willing to accept recommendations made by competent organisations.

“In that asymmetric and fragile environment where we meet with our mission to protect our countrymen, homes, jobs and public areas, we uphold respect to human rights. Of course there have been mistakes. To recognise this is loyalty as well as accepting recommendations made to us by competent organisations.”

Mexico’s security forces have been accused of committing widespread human rights violations such as torture and forced disappearances in their battle against drug cartels since the government launched a war on drug gangs in late 2006, by several human rights organisations.

President Felipe Calderon’s time in office has been dominated by his decision to send in the army against the drug cartels shortly after taking office in December 2006.

More than 50,000 people have died in the conflict.

Galvan Galvan defended Calderon’s decision to protect the country.

“It’s our duty to recognise that internal security in the country is seriously threatened. To confront that reality with the full force of the state as the laws state ws the brave decision taken by President Calderon from the beginning of his time in office.”

Since becoming president, Calderon has pumped up the public security ministry’s budget threefold, growing federal police ranks from 6,000 agents to 35,000 now.

Financial aid from the United States has helped pay for top-of-the-line equipment and training aimed at creating a model force to outperform inefficient and underpaid state and municipal officers, often accused of working for drug gangs.

But the results have not met the government’s hopes, and reports of abuses are rising.