A disturbing wave of home burglaries is sweeping through Mérida, exposing the inadequacies of the municipal security strategy touted by Mayor Cecilia Anunciación Patrón Laviada. Despite official claims that everything is under control, residents and data paint a grim picture of a city struggling to contain crime.
High-profile neighborhoods like Temozón Norte have been hit particularly hard, with up to four burglaries reported this month alone. The rise in crime knows no social or geographical boundaries, leaving residents feeling vulnerable and frustrated.
In areas such as Cinco colonias, Chichi Suárez, Caucel, and Circuito colonias, robberies of convenience stores, homes, and pedestrians are on the rise due to the inaction of municipal authorities. According to “agreements” between Mérida police and officials, offenders are often released without facing justice.
The statistics are alarming: Mérida accounted for 58 percent of home burglaries in Yucatán between 2015 and 2024, according to INEGI data. However, what is truly concerning is the estimated 93 percent of crimes that go unreported, largely due to a lack of trust in authorities and slow processing.
The Patrón Laviada administration boasts a decrease in reported cases from 108 in 2023 to 74 in 2024, but many believe this reduction is a result of underreporting rather than an effective policy. Residents are discouraged from reporting incidents as they feel their efforts will be futile.
Private security is inadequate, and police presence is infrequent, leaving residents to fend for themselves. Neighborhood warnings about the municipal government’s inaction are spreading rapidly on social media, sparking outrage and concern among citizens.
The question is no longer whether Mérida’s security is failing but how much longer Mayor Patrón will ignore a crisis that affects the very heart of the city’s quality of life. The time has come for authorities to take concrete action to address this pressing issue and restore trust in their ability to maintain public safety.
Source: Imagen Radio
