Homicides decreased 5.5% in January compared to the same month of 2020 but increased 7.7% with respect to December, according to data presented by Security Minister Rosa Icela Rodríguez on Friday.

There were 2,831 victims of homicide last month, 165 fewer than January last year but 204 more than December.

The figure for last month was 1.6% lower than the monthly average in 2020, which was the second most violent year on record after 2019.

Speaking at President López Obrador’s morning press conference, Rodríguez asserted that the government’s security strategy has been successful in containing homicide levels, although they remain very high.

Guanajuato retained its unenviable title of most violent state in the country with 335 homicide victims in January. Baja California ranked second with 284 victims followed by Jalisco, Michoacán, Chihuahua and México state.

Just under 50% of all homicides in Mexico last month occurred in those six states.

Almost 28% of the homicides were committed in 15 highly violent municipalities where the government is implementing localized security strategies and rolling out social programs to try to combat the violence.

Rodríguez highlighted that there were fewer homicides in 10 of them in January compared to the same month last year. They were Tijuana, Ciudad Juárez, Celaya, Culiacán, Guadalajara, Acapulco, Cancún, Irapuato, Iztapalapa and Salamanca.

However, homicides increased in Cajeme, León, Morelia, Chihuahua city and Tlaquepaque.

The security minister also presented data that showed that femicides – the killing of women and girls on account of their gender – declined 10.6% in January compared to the same month last year and 14.1% with respect to December. There were 67 victims of the hate crime last month.

Source: Reforma (sp)