According to data published in the 2026 Mexico Peace Index, Baja California Sur stood out as one of the eight states in the country with the highest per capita cost of violence.
According to the study, the state ranked 25th nationally, with a cost of 47,632 pesos per person due to the impact of violent events in the state during 2025.
This analysis, conducted by the Institute for Economics and Peace (IEP), established that violence generated costs of up to 42.1 million pesos last year.
Specifically, this assessment takes into account forms of damage such as material losses, physical injuries, and psychological trauma, emphasizing that the economic disruptions caused by crime and the fear of violence are considerable.
Between 2015 and 2025, the IEP observed that the cost of crime increased by 43.7 percent in Baja California Sur, making it the eighth state with the highest cost per capita.
The state governor, Víctor Castro Cosío, acknowledged at a press conference held on May 20 that 2025 was the most challenging year in terms of security so far in his administration.
Data from the Executive Secretariat of the National Public Security System (SESNSP) indicates that more than 80 people were murdered in high-impact crimes such as shootings, with Loreto and Comondú standing out as the epicenter of violence in the state.
Authorities from the State Attorney General’s Office (PGJE) attributed the problem to conflicts between organized crime groups. The Mexican government even sent more than 200 members of the Navy (Semar) and the National Defense Secretariat (Sedena) as reinforcements to the northern part of the state.
In this context, the 2026 Peace Index indicates that the economic impact of violence in the country was four trillion pesos in 2025, equivalent to approximately 11% of the country’s GDP, although—the study emphasizes—it acknowledges an 11.4% decrease in this indicator.
In its analysis, the IEP (Institute of Economic Studies) underscores that fear of violence also modifies economic behavior, altering investment and consumption patterns, with public and private resources being diverted from productive activities toward protective measures.
“This generates significant losses in productivity and unearned income. Therefore, measuring the magnitude and cost of violence has important implications for evaluating its effects on economic activity,” the report stresses.
Source: oem
