Federal representative Rubén Moreira Valdez has accused the Mexican government of deliberately manipulating crime statistics. He claims this creates the illusion that its security strategy is working, even as violence escalates across the country.
Speaking on his program Con Peras, Manzanas y Naranjas (With Pears, Apples, and Oranges), the PRI legislator said authorities are omitting homicides, disappearances, and assaults from official reports. This tactic is intended to mislead the public.
Moreira pointed to the August killing of a representative from the Attorney General’s Office in Tamaulipas as an example. “The official reports for August 4, 5, and 6 list zero homicides, as if the murder had never happened,” he said.
Mass Grave in Guanajuato Never Counted
The legislator also cited the discovery of remains from 32 people in a mass grave in Guanajuato that never appeared in the Security Secretariat’s crime bulletins. “These omissions aren’t mistakes,” Moreira said. “They’re deliberate actions to distort the public’s perception of security.”
Accompanied by economist Mario Di Costanzo and lawyer Miguel Ángel Sulub, Moreira accused the federal government of maintaining “a narrative devoid of truth.” The government, he claims, relies on opaque, manipulated data to suggest progress against crime.
Surge in Violence Across States and Highways
According to Moreira, Campeche, Tabasco, and Reynosa are seeing a spike in violence. Meanwhile, major highways—including the Mexico–Puebla highway and the Arco Norte—have become dangerous corridors for drivers. He warned that robberies are resurging in Mexico City, even near federal security installations.
Violence and the Economy
Economist Mario Di Costanzo argued that Mexico’s violence crisis is tied to deeper structural problems. These include a shrinking formal job market, inflation eroding household budgets, and an economy that continues to stagnate. “You can’t address public safety without addressing economic opportunity,” he said.
Manipulating the Numbers
Lawyer Miguel Ángel Sulub explained one of the methods he says authorities use to minimize homicide numbers. If a shooting victim dies days after being hospitalized, the case is not counted as a homicide—only as an injury. “It’s a perverse system,” Sulub said. “By this logic, dozens of violent deaths simply vanish from the official record each month.”
A Growing Gap Between Official Reports and Reality
Moreira’s remarks reflect a widening gap between government messaging and public perception. While official figures suggest crime is stabilizing or even declining in some areas, everyday experiences—from mass graves to highway assaults—tell a different story.
“People don’t feel safe on the streets,” Moreira said. “And when they see that the government is hiding the truth, the distrust only grows.”
