9 of the 10 most violent cities in the world are in Mexico and are besieged by drug traffickers

For the sixth consecutive year, a Mexico City figured as the the most violent in the world in 2022. The problems generated by drug cartels, kidnappings, disappearances, extortion and fuel theft are part of the panorama of insecurity that has permeated the daily life of the inhabitants.

Although in 2022 the rate of intentional homicides decreased by 7.1% Compared to 2021 (from 33,308 it fell to 30,968), this was not enough for crime levels in the country to show a reduction compared to other countries in the world that are not in conflict armed, like Syria, Sudan or Yemen.

According “2022 ranking of the 50 most violent cities in the worldpresented by the Citizen Council for Public Safety and Criminal Justice, Mexico concentrate the the most cities (17 in total) with the highest homicide rates in the world per 100,000 inhabitants. The country ruled by Andrés Manuel López Obrador is followed by Brazil (10), the United States (7), Colombia (6), South Africa (4), Honduras (2), Puerto Rico (1), Haiti (1), Ecuador (1) and Jamaica (1).

On the first 10 places, at least 9 cities found in Mexico. Most of them are located in the north of the country and in the shoal area, such as: Colima (Colima), Zamora (Michoacán), Town of Obregon (Soora), zacatecas (Zacatecas), Tijuana (Baja California), Celaya (Guanajuato), Uruapan (Michoacán), Juarez (Chihuahua) and acapulco (Guerrero).

Despite the fact that there was a decrease in intentional homicides from 2021 to 2022, the “hugs, not bullets” security policy -implemented by the López Obrador administration- was not enough to reduce the levels of violence in the country. An example is the city of Colimaconsidered the the most violent in the world according to the Citizen Council for Public Safety and Criminal Justice.

In this city -located in the western region of Mexico- reported 601 intentional homicides with 330 thousand 329 registered inhabitants. In other words, the rate was 181.94 crimes per 100,000 population. In 2021 in Colima, 195 victims of this crime were counted, which means that in 12 months homicides have tripled.

Although Colima is located in one of the states with the smallest territorial extension in the country, the presence of criminal groups has significantly increased crime rates. He Jalisco New Generation Cartel (CJNG) maintains a bloody dispute with him Colima Independent Cartel -Also known as Mezcales– For the control of the territory and drug trafficking.

According to information from the Ministry of National Defense (Sedena), José Bernabé Brizuela, alias The cow, was the leader of Los Mezcales in Colima. Despite the fact that this subject was arrested in Mexico City in August 2022, armed clashes between opposing cells continue to persist. Examples of this are most of 600 intentional homicides perpetrated with firearms over the past year, according to figures from the Executive Secretariat of the National Public Security System (SESNSP).

Three cities located in the northwest of the country were among the 10 most violent in the world. one of them was Town of Obregonin Sonora, who reported 454 intentional homicides in 2022, when there was a record 328,430 inhabitants, or 138.23 victims per 100,000 inhabitants. These numbers put him in third place on the list.

According to files leaked from Sedena by the Guacamaya group, 13 criminal leaders have been identified in northern Sonora, some of whom have already been arrested and others who died after violent events. Among them stands out Armando López ice creama.k.a Diplomaone of the main square bosses of the Sinaloa Cartel.

In 2020, Ciudad Obregón was classified in the fourth place of the 50 most violent cities in the world, according to the ranking of the same Citizen Council. In this region, moreover, there have been grasped large amounts of fentanyl and methamphetamine qtrying to reach the United States for distribution.

during this time at Juarez –belonging to the state of Chihuahua- They signed up one thousand 034 intentional homicides, or about 67 per 100,000 inhabitants. That’s why he was ranked ninth in the ranking, which was released on February 20.

The criminal group of The Mexicos He has been primarily responsible for the crime wave that is flooding Chihuahua. Emanated like a armed faction of the Sinaloa Cartel, its members began with vehicle theft and later ventured into drug trafficking. Today, he is considered one of the biggest generators of violence in the state.

On January 1, 2023, this criminal gang starred in a mass leak of the Social Reintegration Center (Cereso) number 3, in which one of its leaders escaped, Alfredo Pinon de la Cruza.k.a the InternetWho lost his life days after a confrontation with the authorities.

For its part, the border town of Tijuana, Baja California, was besieged by the presence of criminal groups that caused a wave of murders. In 2022, they were reported two thousand 177 intentional homicides among the more than two million inhabitants. This is why it was placed as the fifth most violent city in the world.

He CJNG and the Sinaloa Cartel They maintained bloody clashes in their attempt to take control of the territory. And it is that the two criminal organizations – the most powerful in the country – have a common objective: to dominate the drug transfer in the United States, mainly fentanyl, which is produced in clandestine laboratories.

Due to its geographical location and its proximity to the neighboring country, criminal groups based in Tijuana take advantage of the border to exchange weapons which they supply the drug cartels, who have also ventured into the migrant smuggling seeking to reach US territory.

The city of zacatecas ranked fourth among the 50 most violent cities in the world, due to the 490 intentional homicides reported in 2022, when 363 thousand 996 inhabitants were counted. This is due, in part, to the multiple massacres carried out in nightclubs and bars located in the demarcation, where illegal substances are said to be sold.

Again, disputes between CJNG and the Sinaloa Cartel They provoked violent episodes throughout the entity governed by Ricardo Monreal Ávila. This, in turn, provoked armed clashes with the authorities, which left a balance 60 police officers killed Last year I feel the state with the highest number of victims for this crime.

Meanwhile, the city of CelayaIn Guanajuatoplaced sixth in the standings, with 740 intentional homicides among the more than 740,000 inhabitants. Contrary to what happens in Zacatecas or in other entities of the country, the CJNG played the main role in bloody battles with the Cartel of Santa Rosa de Lima (CSRL).

Both organizations are involved in the sale and distribution of drugs, but their criminal activities have also extended to fuel theftbetter known as huachicol, due to eavesdropping in the area. Additionally, intelligence reports have pointed to the CSRL being responsible for the high rates of extortion.

Michoacan It was the only entity in which two of the 10 most violent cities in the world were located: Zamora and Uruapancon 552 there 282 intentional homicides, respectively. The Four Letter Cartel has been seen as the main generator of violence in the region, as in addition to the transfer of narcotics, they also have other illegal businesses to generate profit.

The CJNG announced its arrival in Uruapan in 2019. Due to its geographical location, the intentions of this criminal group have focused on the production and marketing of avocado, considered the “green gold” from Mexico. And it is that Michoacán is the main exporter of this fruit to the United States, which has caused farmers to be victims of extortion, kidnappings and disappearances. To this are added THE mining regions in the entity, which has also become a business for criminal cells.

In tenth place on the list was the city of acapulco, Guerrerobecause of 513 intentional homicides recorded in 2022. The crime rate for this crime was 65.55 per 100,000 population.

According to the entity’s public security secretary, Evelio Gomez Mendezin Guerrero the presence of CJNG and the Michoacán familymainly, in addition to other criminal cells such as the Theclos, Squirrels and the Acapulco Independent Cartel.