During the second quarter of 2024, almost six out of 10 inhabitants over 18 years of age considered it unsafe to live in their city
The perception of insecurity among Mexicans fell to 59.4 percent in the second quarter of 2024, close to the lowest level in its history, despite a period marked by the violence of the June 2 election campaigns, in which crime was the greatest concern of voters.
This means that almost six out of 10 inhabitants over 18 years of age considered it unsafe to live in their city, according to the National Survey of Urban Public Security (ENSU) revealed by the National Institute of Statistics and Geography (Inegi).
The result from April to June is lower than the 61 percent from January to March and close to the 59.1 percent from October to December 2023, when it reached its lowest level since records began, the autonomous institute noted in its report.
“It represents a statistically significant change in relation to the percentages recorded in March 2024 and June 2023 (61 percent and 62.3 percent, respectively),” Inegi detailed.
The perception of insecurity decreases despite political violence, with 43 candidates murdered before the June 2 elections, according to figures from the consulting firm DataInt, which documents a total of 176 murders potentially linked to the elections.
Media surveys agreed that security was the priority of voters, with nearly half mentioning it as their main concern.
Inegi statistics showed a persistent gender gap, with 65.1 percent of women reporting insecurity compared to 52.4 percent of men.
The decrease in the perception of insecurity occurs despite a 5.07 percent year-on-year increase in intentional homicides in June (2,673), the most violent month of the first half of the year, when the annual reduction in murders was only 0.18 percent (15,110), according to the Secretariat of Security and Citizen Protection (SSPC).
The most unsafe cities in Mexico
The Mexican city with the highest perception of insecurity was once again Fresnillo, in Zacatecas, where 94.7 percent of its inhabitants reported this feeling amid the massacres committed there by organized crime.
It is followed by Naucalpan (89.2 percent), Uruapan (86.8 percent), Irapuato (84.8 percent), Tapachula (84.7 percent) and Zacatecas (84.7 percent).
In contrast, the least unsafe city was San Pedro Garza García, the richest municipality in Mexico, where only 11.7 percent of the population reported insecurity.
It was followed by Piedras Negras (14.3 percent), Los Cabos (16.7 percent), Los Mochis (18.7 percent), the Benito Juárez municipality of Mexico City (18.9 percent), and Saltillo (21.4 percent).
By public space and crime
Regarding specific spaces, 67.9 percent of the population felt unsafe at ATMs, 62.7 percent on public transportation, 53.7 percent on highways, and 52.9 percent at the bank.
Citizens who reported having witnessed crimes near their homes were associated with alcohol consumption on the streets (60.3 percent), robbery or assault (47.8 percent), vandalism (39.9 percent), drug sales or consumption (39.5 percent), gunshots (36.4 percent) and violent gangs or gang activity (15.1 percent).
Source: lopezdoriga
