Guanajuato has recorded over 30 massacres in 2025, the highest in Mexico. The most recent, in Irapuato, left 12 dead and drew condemnation from President Sheinbaum.
Guanajuato has become the deadliest state in Mexico in 2025, with more than 30 massacres recorded so far this year, according to estimates that include data from the NGO Causa en Común and local government reports. The violence, largely driven by organized crime, has claimed dozens of lives in mass killings across the state — including the most recent and deadliest incident in Irapuato on June 24, where 12 people were killed during a community celebration.
According to Causa en Común, 25 high-impact massacres occurred in Guanajuato during just the first three months of the year. Additional deadly attacks have continued into the second quarter, culminating in several mass killings in May and June.
The massacre in Irapuato this week has drawn national attention and condemnation, including from President Claudia Sheinbaum, who publicly lamented the deaths and called for a stronger federal response to the crisis gripping the state. The attack occurred late Tuesday night during a patron saint festival in the Barrio Nuevo neighborhood. Armed gunmen opened fire on the gathering, killing 12 and injuring others, according to Ricardo Benavidez Hernández, Secretary of Citizen Security in Irapuato.
70 killed in 12 of the worst attacks
A summary of 12 of the most lethal massacres this year shows a devastating toll. In these 12 events alone, at least 70 people lost their lives:
- January 24 – Jerécuaro: Armed men stormed a tortilla factory on Prolongación Juárez, killing four people, including one woman.
- January 28 – Irapuato: Four men were gunned down at a grocery store in the Rancho Nuevo de Dolores community.
- January 29 – Celaya: Gunmen attacked the El Capilano bar, killing four men, one of whom was the brother of Celaya’s Civil Protection director.
- February 8 – Salamanca: Five bound bodies were found dumped under a bridge on the Salamanca-Querétaro highway.
- February 23 – Cortázar: Eight people were killed in a shooting in the Alameda de Vista Hermosa community.
- March 6 – Apaseo el Grande: A funeral in San José Agua Azul was targeted by gunmen, leaving seven dead.
- March 16 – Salamanca: A shooting at a multipurpose court in San José de Mendoza killed seven and injured nine more.
- April 14 – Salamanca: An armed group opened fire at a soccer match in the Cárdenas community, killing four.
- April 21 – Salvatierra: Four people were executed inside the bar ‘La Taberna’ on Posadas Ocampo Boulevard.
- May 19 – San Felipe: Seven young people were killed in the main square of San Bartolo de Berrios.
- May 28 – Apaseo el Alto: Four people, including a pregnant woman, were murdered in a home in San Bartolomé Aguas Calientes.
- June 24 – Irapuato: The state’s deadliest massacre to date this year left 12 people dead during a local festivity.
These events underscore the intense wave of violence and impunity plaguing the region, where criminal organizations continue to battle over territory, extortion rackets, and control of drug routes.
A crisis of governance and security
The escalation in violence is not new to Guanajuato. The state has consistently ranked among the most violent in the country for several years, largely due to clashes between rival cartels such as the Jalisco New Generation Cartel (CJNG) and local gangs like the Santa Rosa de Lima Cartel.
Experts and advocacy groups argue that despite federal and state security operations, the situation has not improved. In fact, according to Causa en Común and other observers, a failure to dismantle entrenched criminal networks, coupled with weak prosecution rates and widespread corruption, continues to fuel the crisis.
The rise in massacres — defined by many human rights organizations as attacks where three or more people are murdered — reflects not only the power of organized crime, but also the lack of effective coordination among municipal, state, and federal authorities.
National response grows
President Claudia Sheinbaum’s administration is facing increased pressure to act decisively in Guanajuato. While she has voiced concern over the Irapuato massacre, civil society groups are calling for immediate intervention and long-term strategies aimed at dismantling organized crime operations, protecting civilians, and reforming local law enforcement.
Meanwhile, residents in communities like Salamanca, Celaya, Irapuato, and Cortázar continue to live in fear, with many reluctant to report crimes or speak out publicly.
As the death toll rises and headlines recount weekly atrocities, Guanajuato’s descent into violence has become a symbol of the broader public security challenges facing Mexico in 2025 — a year already shaping up to be among the bloodiest in recent history.
