Thousands of protesters gathered in the Zocalo of Mexico City, chanting “Fue el Estado”: “It was the State.” As the ornate baroque wood of the Palace, witness to almost four centuries of Mexican politics, was consumed in flames, the protesters’ cries were vindicated. The image created by a few instigators legitimized the protesters’ chant by its dramatic and symbolic force: it seems obvious, almost intuitive: yes, it was the state.

The root of the problem, therefore, lies in limited opportunities for the countries’ youth in face of the thrilling alternative of gang life and its economic incentives. Education is the true solution, and the gang’s promise not to recruit in schools, so long as it lasts, is the real victory.