The Mexican Navy (Semar) increased its involvement in public security tasks by deploying 3,391 naval personnel to state and municipal police forces in at least 15 states, aiming to strengthen their operational capacity between 2018 and 2025. Information obtained through transparency requests reveals that these personnel were integrated into local police forces, intermunicipal police units, and traffic divisions to perform preventative and operational duties.
According to the records obtained, Veracruz is the state with the largest number of assigned personnel, notably:
Veracruz-Boca del Río Intermunicipal Police: 461 marines
Coatzacoalcos Southern Zone Intermunicipal Police: 449 marines
These forces are complemented by the State Public Security Secretariat, the Civil Force, regional prosecutors’ offices, and the Naval Police, confirming that a significant portion of the Navy’s deployment is focused on this state.
Reinforcements are also arriving in tourist areas and urban centers.
In addition to Veracruz, the Mexican Navy (Semar) has assigned personnel to municipal police forces in key tourist destinations and urban areas:
Cozumel: 92 personnel
Tulum: 66
Cancun: 51
Puerto Morelos: 47
Los Cabos: 72
In the State of Mexico, the Ecatepec municipal police force has 53 marines integrated into its ranks. At the state level, the Public Security Secretariats receiving the most support are:
Colima: 67
Quintana Roo: 92
Oaxaca: 41
Guerrero: 30
Tlaxcala: 56
Baja California Sur: 11
Naval personnel are also reported to be operating in public security and traffic areas in Tampico, Othón P. Blanco, Guaymas, as well as in municipalities such as Valle de Bravo, Villa de Álvarez, Córdoba, Orizaba, Tecamachalco, Tecomán, Mulegé, Empalme, and San Felipe.
More than 19,000 military personnel have been assigned to civilian institutions.
Historical records show that, between 2018 and 2025, the Ministry of National Defense (Sedena) deployed 19,372 personnel to civilian institutions, of which 15,981 joined the National Guard. In the case of the Mexican Navy (Semar), its personnel have assumed duties such as patrolling, administrative support, replacing preventative functions, and reinforcing weakened areas.
From Temporary Support to a Component of the Security Model
The documentation reveals a gradual shift: what began as limited deployments in the early years of the 2018–2025 period, primarily to law enforcement agencies in Veracruz, evolved into a broader scheme as the integration of the National Guard progressed.
Starting in 2020, and especially in 2021, the number of marines assigned to local police forces increased significantly, extending to Colima, Quintana Roo, Baja California Sur, and tourist areas in the Caribbean and Pacific.
Although a reduction has been observed since 2022 compared to the 2021 peak—due to the priority deployment of personnel to the National Guard—the number of law enforcement agencies benefiting remains practically the same. In some cases, new municipalities have even been added to the support scheme.
Semar continues to form joint cells and participate in intelligence areas, while the states maintain their dependence on naval support due to the lag of their civilian police forces.
Source: debate
