Controversy over video game violence in Juarez

juarez mexico border violence U.S.

Controversy over video game violence in Juárez







The gaming world is once again the star of a new controversy. This time the scene of the dispute is Mexico and the location of the debate is Ciudad Juarez.

Ubisoft, the French video game company, is working on a sequel to his popular series "Call of Juarez" which this time adds the title of "The Cartel" ("El Cartel" .

In the new release visit in one of its missions, the Mexican city located in the U.S. border and has been the scene of a wave of violence in years.

The game, which traditionally deals with gunmen in the Old West "will be adapted to modern life and will assume the role of a gunman who embarks on a journey that will take" the heart of Los Angeles in the modern era to Juarez, Mexico " .

"The game will bring the best elements of the Old West to modern times with a relevant history and energy," says the company.

Seek to prohibit the sale

In Mexico, the output of the game arouses passions, though perhaps not expected by Ubisoft.


For several years, Ciudad Juarez has been the victim of violence.

On Wednesday, the Chihuahua State Congress, to which it belongs Ciudad Juarez approved a motion to ask the country's government to ban the sale of game in Mexico.

Members of the state say the game looking to make an "apology" of the violence is going through Ciudad Juárez.

In the border city killed 3,060 people in 2010 alone. At the beginning of the year, Juárez concentrated 46% of violent murders committed in the country, though officials say that figure was reduced to one third of the end of the year.

The city has been ravaged by war between drug cartels for control of the passage of drugs into the United States and the continued presence of gangs.

According to Mexican legislators to ban the sale of game is protect the image of the city and prevent the children from using games that are not "educational."

BBC tried to contact Ubisoft to give an opinion on the controversy caused in Mexico, but at the time of this writing had not responded to our request.

It is not the first time a violent video game causes controversy. Recently "Call of Duty: Black Ops" caused controversy by showing a mission in which the player tries-but fails, to assassinate former Cuban leader Fidel Castro.

The latest version of the Medal of Honor series gave the user the option to play as a member of the Taliban, although the company EA had to change the character's name after receiving complaints from U.S. and the United Kingdom.








Source: David Cuen
BBC World