Over 1,000 people have been killed in Sinaloa since September despite military presence.
Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum has announced a 25% drop in homicides during the first eight months of her administration, attributing the decline to a tougher security approach and increased intelligence operations. “The strategy is working,” she stated. Measures include deploying 10,000 national guardsmen to the northern border and establishing new intelligence agencies. Analysts, however, question the reliability of the data, noting that official figures exclude missing persons and killings with “undetermined” motives.
David Mora of Crisis Group emphasized that comparing year-on-year data shows only a 7% decline, saying, “Reducing homicides by a quarter in six months would be unprecedented.”
Over 1,000 people have been killed in Sinaloa since September despite military presence. Mora warned against premature celebration, stating, “The levels of homicidal violence remain alarming.” Mexico recorded 30,048 homicides in 2024. More than 480,000 have been killed since 2006, with 120,000 still missing and mass graves continuing to be discovered.