The President of Mexico, Claudia Sheinbaum, has revealed that five entities concentrate approximately 50% of the crimes in the country, highlighting the need to design specific strategies to address each area. Sheinbaum assumed the presidency on October 1, succeeding Andrés Manuel López Obrador, and faces the main challenge of combating violence in Mexico.
During the previous term, more than 196,000 homicides were reported, according to data from the civil organization Causa en Común. Sheinbaum, a member of the National Regeneration Movement (Morena) party, has presented a security plan based on four fundamental axes. These include addressing the causes of violence, strengthening the National Guard, utilizing intelligence against crime, and achieving effective coordination between federal and state authorities.
Since taking office, authorities have arrested 3,015 high-profile criminals and confiscated a large quantity of illicit substances. 42 tons of drugs have been seized, including fentanyl, heroin, marijuana, cocaine, and methamphetamines. These actions aim to establish the firmness of the Mexican government in the fight against violence and to work for peace and security throughout the country.
Sheinbaum has also inherited the internal confrontation within the Sinaloa cartel following the arrest of the kingpin Ismael 'El Mayo' Zambada in the United States, which has resulted in around 350 homicides in Sinaloa since September. However, the average homicide rate in November has experienced a slight decrease.
In a recent press conference, Sheinbaum acknowledged that the results of her security strategy will not be immediate, particularly after the recent massacres that have shaken several regions of the country. These incidents include the death of six people in a bar in Cuautitlán Izcalli, the attack on a bar in Querétaro that left ten dead, and the discovery of eleven bodies in Guerrero.
Marcela Figueroa, head of the Executive Secretariat of the National Public Security System, reported an increase in the number of homicides since September due to conflicts between criminal groups. Sheinbaum faces criticism for her focus on the militarization of public safety and a judicial reform that proposes electing judges and magistrates of the Supreme Court by popular vote starting in 2025.
