The president of Coparmex for the Metropolitan Zone of León, Michel Sojo Quiroz, stated that the increase in extortion rates in the country must be addressed by the government, the legislature, and by encouraging reporting.
Jorge Peñuñuri Pantoja, president of the National Security and Justice Commission of Coparmex Mexico, reported that during the first half of the year, there was a 6.9 percent increase in this crime. Guanajuato, along with Morelos and the State of Mexico, has the highest percentages nationwide, with 5,887 victims reported.
Meanwhile, at the municipal level, there are Cuautla, Salamanca, and San Miguel de Allende, two municipalities in Guanajuato.
“We believe that if there is an increase in extortion, we must address it. At Coparmex, we believe that even though the government is working, the legislative branch is also very important. Therefore, we are seeking to have the legislature amend Article 73 to classify the crime of extortion, so that it is addressed specifically as a crime,” stated Michel Sojo Quiroz.
The president of Coparmex in León added that extortion doesn’t operate in a specific way, as these crimes are also experienced by ordinary citizens.
“We certainly see a positive aspect in the fact that we are daring to report it. We, as chambers of commerce and as citizens and businesspeople, are encouraging reporting, and what we seek is to have more accurate data, and that could increase the percentages we know,” he stated.
Extortion of businesspeople is a concern in Guanajuato
Cases of extortion are a situation that is generating growing concern among the business sector. This was stated by Vicente Lahúd, president of the Guanajuato State Tannery Industry Chamber (CICUR) and coordinator of the Security Commission of the Business Coordinating Council (CCEL), who warned about the impact of insecurity, not only on citizens but also on the economy and the establishment of new businesses.
“Extortion is a reality that is already occurring, unfortunately, in several parts of the state, such as Irapuato and León. The fact that they target a person directly at a business, whether a commercial or business premises, is something we sadly see frequently, and that impact affects us all,” he explained.
Lahúd emphasized that a coordinated effort between the three levels of government is required to address the problem.
Each entity cannot operate in a silo. Real coordination between municipal, state, and federal authorities is needed.
Vicente Lahúd, president of the Guanajuato State Tanning Industry Chamber (CICUR),
He also welcomed the recent federal strategy against extortion and supported the request by Guanajuato State Governor Libia Denisse García Muñoz Ledo for the federal government to intervene in blocking telephone signals in prisons.
“It has been proven that more than 70% of extortions come from calls made from inside prisons. There is much to be done there,” he emphasized.
Despite the current situation, he acknowledged progress in security, highlighting that some indicators already show an improvement.
“We must recognize when the government does things right. Home burglaries have decreased, as have homicides. We shouldn’t get carried away, but it does seem like there is a positive trend, and not just isolated data,” he stated.
However, she noted that there is still much work to be done, especially in the area of perception.
“We are still at undesirable levels, but the situation is improving. Now we need to work on how people perceive this improvement.”
Cybersecurity, the most sensitive area for businesswomen in León
Although no direct in-person or telephone extortion has been reported within the businesswomen’s association, concern about cybersecurity is growing. This was expressed by Rosa Isela Ramírez Revilla, president of AMEXME León Chapter, when addressing the current security challenges affecting businesses.
“In our case, no extortion has been reported directly, or at least we haven’t heard about it. What we have seen is an increase in extortion attempts through digital means. They send us messages, strange links… and that has affected several members,” she explained.
Given this situation, AMEXME has strengthened preventive measures, especially in the use of digital tools.
“We already had a meeting with the prosecutor, who gave us several tips on how to protect ourselves. The most important thing is knowing which messages to respond to and which not to. Sometimes we get scared, but we have to stay calm and know how to act,” said Ramírez Revilla.
According to recent figures from INEGI (National Institute of Statistics and Geography), the perception of insecurity in businesses increased 1.2% from 2018 to 2023. For AMEXME, this increase also reflects the uncertainty generated by the current environment, both physical and digital.
“Of course, security has an impact, especially because of the fear it generates when making investment decisions. But in the end, we have to trust that the specialists, the government, and the authorities will do their part, and we must continue working,” she commented.
Given this context, Ramírez Revilla emphasized that the key is prevention.
“We may not have many reports, but that doesn’t mean we’re letting our guard down. What we’re doing at AMEXME is taking preventative measures, and that’s the most important thing for us.”
Source: oem
