The first quarter of 2019 is already the most violent in the modern history of Mexico. This is confirmed by the figures of the Executive Secretariat of the National Public Security System (SESNSP) which shows that in the first three months of the year there were 8,493 victims of homicide.
The body of the Ministry of Public Safety and Citizen Protection (SSPyPC) released the figures that confirm that this quarter has been the most violent, from January to March there were 743 more malicious homicides than in the first quarter of 2018 (7,750), the last year of Enrique Peña Nieto’s government that had broken the record of violence in Mexico.
In March there were 2,836 murders, 19 less than those recorded in January (2,855) and 34 more than in February (2,802).
In addition, the first four months of the government of Andrés Manuel López Obrador (December 2018 to March) accumulated 11,360 murders, according to official figures.
The update of the figures of homicides is announced two days after 13 people were murdered in Mintatitlán, Veracruz, and three others in San Luis Potosí.
On April 12, during the morning conference, journalist Jorge Ramos questioned López Obrador about the increase in violence in the country.
“During its first three months, 8,524 Mexicans were killed, and if the numbers continue to be the same, 2019 will be the bloodiest and most violent year in Mexico’s modern history,” the journalist said, citing official figures. His figures are very close to the victims of homicide reported by the SESNSP.
The figures just presented by the SESNP indicate that the state of Guanajuato remains the most violent state in the country with 947 murders committed in the first quarter of this year, and is followed by:
State of Mexico (769)
Jalisco (720)
Baja California (647)
Chihuahua (568)
Guerrero (439)
Michoacán (401)