Mexico has experienced an increase in the number of cities considered among the most dangerous in the world, rising from 17 to 20 in the recent "2024 Ranking of the 50 Most Dangerous Cities in the World" published by the Citizen Council for Public Security and Justice. The highlighted cities include Culiacán, Zamora, Celaya, Ciudad Obregón, Zacatecas, Colima, Acapulco, and Ciudad Juárez. New additions to the list are Chilpancingo, Tapachula, and Culiacán, the latter due to the increase in violence in the region.
The homicide rate in Mexico in 2024 accounts for 40% of homicides worldwide, placing the country in a concerning situation in terms of public safety. Meanwhile, Port-au-Prince in Haiti is noted as the most dangerous city in the world, with 139.1 homicides for every 100,000 inhabitants.
Among the Mexican cities that occupy the top positions in violence are Colima in second place, Acapulco in third, Manzanillo in fourth, Tijuana in fifth, and Ciudad Obregón in sixth. Other cities within the ranking include Cuernavaca, Ciudad Juárez, Culiacán, Uruapan, Irapuato, Chihuahua, Chilpancingo, Zacatecas, León, Tapachula, Villahermosa, and Morelia, among others.
José Antonio Ortega, president of the Citizen Council for Public Security and Justice, has called on authorities to sever their ties with organized crime and act in the interest of citizens to ensure that Mexican cities move out of this ranking. Ortega emphasizes the importance of following the examples of cities that have managed to improve their situation and exit this list, citing Honduras as a successful case in this regard.
