Photographs are hanged on the walls of t

Photographs are hanged on the walls of the chapel of Saint Jesus Malverde, a bandit of the XVIII century turned into the "saint of the drug dealers" in recognition of the fevours received by the people in Culiacan, Sinaloa state, Mexico on June 2, 2008. The sign reads "Thank God and Malverde for the favours received, Leon Zavala family". Mexico is being whipped by a war among drug cartels disputing their place and the trafficking to the United States with unusual ferocity and sophisticated arms on June 11, 2008. Executed, beheaded, tied and tortured bodies with messages against rival bands, or threatened police and street announcements are part of the geography of violence in several states of Mexico. In the course of the year, there were at least 1,378 deaths, 47% more than in the same period in 2007. AFP PHOTO/LUIS ACOSTA (Photo credit should read LUIS ACOSTA/AFP via Getty Images)