Key Takeaways
- Mexico's intentional homicide rate reached 29.4 per 100,000 inhabitants in 2022, marking the fourth consecutive year above 29.
- From 2018 to 2022, over 156,000 homicides were registered in Mexico, averaging more than 30,000 annually.
- Guanajuato state had 2,057 homicides in 2022, accounting for 14.5% of national total.
- In 2021, 977 women were victims of femicide in Mexico.
- Femicides increased 12% from 2020 to 2021, totaling 977 cases.
- Mexico City led with 82 femicides in 2022.
- Cartel Jalisco New Generation (CJNG) responsible for 30% of homicides in 2022.
- Sinaloa Cartel vs CJNG conflict caused 1,200+ deaths in 2022.
- Guanajuato's violence linked to CJNG-Santa Rosa de Lima war, 2,000+ deaths since 2018.
- In Guanajuato, 45% of municipalities under cartel control.
- Colima's homicide rate highest at 140/100k due to CJNG.
- Zacatecas violence up 200% since 2018, 1,244 homicides 2022.
- National homicide rate fell 5% in 2023 first half.
- Homicides peaked at 36,685 in 2018, down 10% by 2022.
- Femicides up 20% from 2018 to 2022.
Mexico's persistently high homicide rate remains driven by cartel violence and firearms.
Cartels
- Cartel Jalisco New Generation (CJNG) responsible for 30% of homicides in 2022.
- Sinaloa Cartel vs CJNG conflict caused 1,200+ deaths in 2022.
- Guanajuato's violence linked to CJNG-Santa Rosa de Lima war, 2,000+ deaths since 2018.
- 35% of homicides attributed to organized crime in 2022 per SESNSP.
- CJNG present in 27 states, controlling 40% of territory.
- Zetas Cartel remnants caused 15% of Tamaulipas violence.
- Michoacán's Jalisco Cartels vs local groups led to 1,500 deaths.
- 60,000 disappearances linked to cartels since 2006.
- Cartels control 20% of Mexico's municipalities for drug trafficking.
- Gulf Cartel fragmentation led to 500 intra-cartel killings in 2022.
- La Familia Michoacana active in 10 states, 300 murders.
- Cartel del Noreste responsible for 40% of Nuevo León homicides.
- 75% of seized weapons from US trace to cartels.
- CJNG produced 50 tons of meth seized in 2022.
- Cartels extort 30% of businesses in violent states.
- 1,200 mayors threatened or killed by cartels since 2006.
- Sinaloa Cartel controls 70% of fentanyl trafficking to US.
- Cartel violence displaced 400,000 people since 2006.
- 40% of homicides in Zacatecas due to CJNG vs Sinaloa.
- Tijuana Cartel vs Sinaloa caused 300 deaths in Baja Cal.
- Cartels recruit 30,000 minors as sicarios.
- Guerrero cartels (Ardillos vs Tlacos) 200 clashes in 2022.
- Cartels launder $25 billion USD annually via Mexico.
- Juárez Cartel violence down 20% after pacts.
- Cartels control avocado production in Michoacán, $3B revenue.
- Baja California has 15 active cartel groups.
- Guanajuato Cartel Santa Rosa de Lima has 1,500 members.
Cartels Interpretation
Femicides
- In 2021, 977 women were victims of femicide in Mexico.
- Femicides increased 12% from 2020 to 2021, totaling 977 cases.
- Mexico City led with 82 femicides in 2022.
- State of Mexico had 91 femicides in 2022.
- Veracruz reported 102 femicides in 2022.
- Guerrero had 70 femicides in 2022.
- Michoacán registered 78 femicides in 2022.
- Baja California saw 58 femicides in 2022.
- Chihuahua had 64 femicides in 2022.
- Sinaloa reported 52 femicides in 2022.
- Jalisco had 89 femicides in 2022.
- Guanajuato registered 72 femicides in 2022.
- Puebla saw 62 femicides in 2022.
- Morelos had 55 femicides in 2022.
- Sonora reported 41 femicides in 2022.
- Tamaulipas had 38 femicides in 2022.
- Coahuila saw 22 femicides in 2022.
- National femicide rate was 0.67 per 100,000 women in 2022.
- 90% of femicides involved intimate partners or family.
- From 2015-2022, 4,000+ femicides occurred in Mexico.
- Edomex leads historical femicides with 800+ since 2015.
- 70% of femicide cases remain uninvestigated properly.
- In 2022, 10 states concentrated 50% of femicides.
- Chiapas had 48 femicides in 2022.
- Hidalgo reported 35 femicides in 2022.
- Oaxaca saw 42 femicides in 2022.
- Tabasco had 39 femicides in 2022.
- Tlaxcala registered 18 femicides in 2022.
- In 2022, 65% of femicides involved sharp weapons or firearms.
- Femicides rose 137% since 2015 baseline.
- 25% of women murdered in public spaces in 2022.
- Jalisco's femicide rate was 1.2 per 100,000 women.
Femicides Interpretation
Homicides
- Mexico's intentional homicide rate reached 29.4 per 100,000 inhabitants in 2022, marking the fourth consecutive year above 29.
- From 2018 to 2022, over 156,000 homicides were registered in Mexico, averaging more than 30,000 annually.
- Guanajuato state had 2,057 homicides in 2022, accounting for 14.5% of national total.
- In January 2023, Mexico saw 966 homicides, a 12.5% decrease from December 2022.
- Colima had the highest homicide rate at 140 per 100,000 in 2022.
- Between 2015-2022, 33 states saw homicide increases, with Zacatecas up 1,200%.
- 2021 recorded 34,645 homicides, with firearms used in 72% of cases.
- Baja California Sur's homicide rate dropped 45% from 2021 to 2022.
- Mexico City had 644 homicides in 2022, down 22% from 2021.
- Sinaloa reported 1,461 homicides in 2022 amid cartel wars.
- Chihuahua's homicides fell 15% to 1,012 in 2022.
- Michoacán had 1,554 homicides in 2022, second highest after Guanajuato.
- Jalisco's homicide rate was 58 per 100,000 in 2022.
- In 2022, 92% of homicides were committed with firearms.
- National homicide victims aged 15-29 years old comprised 45% in 2022.
- Durango saw a 30% homicide drop to 348 cases in 2022.
- Zacatecas had 1,244 homicides in 2022, up 36% from 2021.
- Veracruz reported 912 homicides in 2022, down 18%.
- Sonora's homicides decreased 25% to 789 in 2022.
- Tamaulipas had 773 homicides in 2022.
- Guerrero registered 1,021 homicides in 2022.
- Morelos saw 589 homicides in 2022, rate of 45 per 100,000.
- Nayarit had 148 homicides in 2022, lowest among violent states.
- Puebla reported 734 homicides in 2022.
- State of Mexico had 1,589 homicides in 2022.
- Nuevo León saw 498 homicides in 2022, down 20%.
- Oaxaca had 420 homicides in 2022.
- Quintana Roo reported 345 homicides in 2022.
- San Luis Potosí had 312 homicides in 2022.
- In 2022, 85% of homicide victims were male.
- Mexico ranked 5th globally in homicides per 100,000 in 2022 with 28.4.
Homicides Interpretation
Regional
- In Guanajuato, 45% of municipalities under cartel control.
- Colima's homicide rate highest at 140/100k due to CJNG.
- Zacatecas violence up 200% since 2018, 1,244 homicides 2022.
- Michoacán hotspots like Uruapan saw 300 killings.
- Tijuana, Baja Cal., 1,000+ homicides annually since 2018.
- Ciudad Juárez homicides dropped to 500 in 2022 from 1,000+.
- Acapulco, Guerrero, 400 homicides in tourist zone 2022.
- Culiacán, Sinaloa, epicenter with 800 killings.
- Celaya, Guanajuato, 400 homicides, most violent city.
- Ecatepec, Edomex, 200 homicides, urban violence hub.
- Reynosa, Tamaulipas, 300 cartel clashes yearly.
- Manzanillo port, Colima, 200 drug-related deaths.
- Morelia, Michoacán, 250 homicides amid extortion.
- Chihuahua City 400 killings, border violence.
- Tepalcatepec, Michoacán, autodefensas vs cartels 100 deaths.
- Fresnillo, Zacatecas, 250 homicides, mining disputes.
- Irapuato, Guanajuato, 350 murders, fuel theft wars.
- Matamoros, Tamaulipas, 200 disappearances.
- Uruapan, Michoacán, avocado cartel control, 200 extortions.
- Mazatlán, Sinaloa, tourism violence 100 incidents.
- Cuernavaca, Morelos, 150 homicides, narco-mansions.
- Apatzingán, Michoacán, 180 deaths, Knights Templar remnants.
- Mexicali, Baja Cal., 250 homicides, migrant routes.
- Aguascalientes low violence, 80 homicides statewide.
Regional Interpretation
Trends
- National homicide rate fell 5% in 2023 first half.
- Homicides peaked at 36,685 in 2018, down 10% by 2022.
- Femicides up 20% from 2018 to 2022.
- Firearm homicides 75% of total, stable since 2019.
- Youth homicides (15-24) down 8% 2021-2022.
- Organized crime homicides 34% of total in 2022 vs 25% 2015.
- Impunity rate for homicides 95% nationally.
- Disappearances peaked 37,000 in 2020, down to 25,000 2022.
- Migrant-related violence up 15% in border states.
- Fuel theft violence down 40% after SEDENA control.
- COVID lockdowns reduced homicides 10% in 2020.
- Cartel truces led to 20% drop in some regions.
- Women's murders by sharp weapons down 5%, firearms up 10%.
- Northern states homicide rate 40/100k vs south 15/100k.
- Seizures of fentanyl up 300% correlating to violence.
- Police killings down 25% with new protocols.
- Extortion calls up 50% post-pandemic.
- Massacres (5+ deaths) 120 in 2022 vs 90 in 2021.
- 70% of states saw homicide stabilization 2021-2022.
- Mexico's rate 5x Latin America average.
- 6,000+ executions (narco-style) in 2022.
Trends Interpretation
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