Puerto Vallarta, Mexico – A recent survey by Enkoll for EL PAÍS and W Radio reveals that insecurity and violence have solidified their place as the foremost worries for Mexican citizens. The poll, conducted between March 20 and 23 with a sample of 1,202 respondents, found that 53% of participants view violence, insecurity, drug trafficking, and crime as the nation’s primary challenges—a significant increase from previous surveys carried out in December and January.
The survey underscores the public’s escalating fear of crime. While only 20% of respondents identified economic issues such as unemployment, inflation, or wages as the country’s main problem, a majority pointed to security-related issues. Specifically, 36% of those surveyed singled out robbery as the gravest concern, a figure that has risen by five percentage points since December. Other security issues mentioned include general violence (13%), drug trafficking (11%), and both murders and kidnappings (9% each), with disappearances noted by 7% of respondents.
In tandem with these findings, the poll sheds light on public sentiment towards President Claudia Sheinbaum’s handling of the security situation. Despite an overall approval rating of 82%, 24% of those surveyed believe that her administration’s most significant shortcoming has been its failure to effectively combat crime, insecurity, and violence. This criticism comes despite ongoing state efforts, which have seen thousands of arrests and numerous drug and weapons seizures in regions like Sinaloa and along the northern border during the president’s first six months in office.
The heightened anxiety among the populace may be linked to the recent developments in the Teuchitlán case. Nearly half (48%) of the respondents reported having heard about the case, which erupted in early March following a disturbing discovery in Jalisco. Relatives of missing persons, after receiving an anonymous tip, uncovered piles of bone fragments and what appeared to be clandestine crematoriums at the Izaguirre ranch—an agricultural property located about an hour and a quarter from Guadalajara. The discovery was compounded by the presence of hundreds of sneakers and various clothing items hidden underground.
Months earlier, a National Guard operation at the same ranch had led to ten arrests, the rescue of two individuals, and the recovery of a body. However, a subsequent raid by the local prosecutor’s office had failed to uncover any evidence of the illicit activities later revealed by the families. As a result, collective groups representing families of missing persons across Mexico began referring to the site as an “extermination center.” Although the Sheinbaum administration initially resisted these allegations, it eventually handed over the case to the federal prosecutor’s office—a move that has only recently materialized.
When asked about who bears the primary responsibility for the unfolding scandal at Rancho Izaguirre, the survey results were telling. A dominant 37% of respondents pointed to “the cartels and criminals,” implicating organized crime as the main culprits. Former Jalisco governor Enrique Alfaro of the Citizen Movement was blamed by 20%, while the municipal government, the state prosecutor’s office, and even former President Andrés Manuel López Obrador received lesser shares of the blame. Only 1% of those polled held President Sheinbaum’s government directly responsible, and just 6% cited her failure to address the Teuchitlán case as a significant misstep.
As Mexico grapples with these complex issues, the latest survey highlights a critical juncture. With public concern over crime and insecurity intensifying alongside high-profile cases like Teuchitlán, the pressure mounts on government officials to deliver tangible results in the fight against organized crime. Whether the administration’s current strategies can alleviate these fears remains to be seen, as citizens demand not only arrests and seizures but also a long-term solution to the pervasive threat of violence.
Puerto Vallarta, Mexico - A recent survey by Enkoll for EL PAÍS and W Radio reveals that insecurity and violence have solidified their place as the foremost worries for Mexican citizens. The poll, conducted between March 20 and 23 with a sample of 1,202 respondents, found that 53% of participants view violence, insecurity, drug trafficking, and crime as the nation’s primary challenges—a significant increase from previous surveys carried out in December and January.
