In the week from Monday, September 30, to Friday, October 4, 2024, Guanajuato recorded a total of 75 murdered people, according to federal government data.
The cases increased by 63.05% compared to the 46 crimes of this type that were recorded in the state the previous week, corresponding to September 23-27, 2024.
In four of the five days elapsed, between September 30 and October 4, the state led the murder figures nationwide: only on Friday, October 4, Guanajuato did not lead the list.
In total, in the country, between September 30 and October 4, at least 416 homicides were committed; two out of 10 occurred in Guanajuato, according to figures from the daily federal security report.
Lack of coordination
The change of government, the presence of organized crime, the poor functioning of state security institutions and the lack of coordination between authorities are the causes of violence in the state, explained specialists consulted by El Economista.
Javier Oliva Posada, professor of the Faculty of Political and Social Sciences at UNAM, said that one of the main factors that could be driving this wave of violence is the government transition, both at the federal and state level.
“Unfortunately, when there is a change of government at the federal and state level simultaneously, as is the case, these types of events occur, because the different groups seek to intimidate, maintain or expand their areas of influence,” said Oliva Posada.
The expert commented that the strategic location of Guanajuato, being one of the states best connected by land routes, together with its petrochemical infrastructure, favors the development of criminal activities.
“So, this creates a dynamic that is conducive to the development of criminal activities, but this also speaks of a lack of capacity on the part of local authorities, in the first instance, to be able to confront them,” he commented in an interview.
For his part, Gerardo Rodríguez, professor of the Department of International Relations and Political Science at the University of the Americas Puebla, commented that the conflict between the Jalisco Nueva Generación Cartel (CJNG) and the Santa Rosa de Lima Cartel has been one of the main triggers of violence in Guanajuato.
According to Rodríguez, this confrontation has intensified in the municipalities in the western part of the state, bordering Jalisco and Michoacán, where both criminal groups seek to dominate key routes for drug trafficking and other crimes.
Another key factor pointed out by the specialist that has fueled violence in Guanajuato has been the poor functioning of the State Attorney General’s Office.
Gerardo Rodríguez asserted that, despite the million-dollar investments in its modernization, the prosecutor’s office never managed to establish a relationship of trust with state and federal authorities.
“The resignation of the state Attorney General (Carlos Zamarripa) was a breath of fresh air, since his administration was an obstacle to improving security in the state,” he said.
It is worth mentioning that the prosecutor resigned last week from his position – after 15 years – as of January 1, 2025.
Rodríguez indicated that it is important to address the issue from a comprehensive approach that includes greater government coordination.
Source: eleconomista
