Mexico: Installation of panic button in Mexico City taxis

Event

City officials have announced plans to install panic buttons in all Mexico City taxis. The installation process was launched April 17 and is expected to be finalized in March 2019. The buttons will be connected to a satellite geolocation system and their activation will notify the C5 government center (Command, Control, Computing, Communications, and Control).

Context

Reported crime rates rose considerably in Mexico City in 2017. Compared to 2016, incidents of violent robbery increased by 28.5 percent, intentional homicide by 14.3 percent, business robberies by 13.1 percent, and theft targeting pedestrians by 11.9 percent, according to the National Citizen Observatory (ONC). The most common motives for homicides in Mexico City are "revenge" (accounting for 43 percent of murders) and "quarrels" (accounting for 35 percent). Notably, violent crime has increased on the Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México (UNAM) campus in Mexico City in recent weeks as the rival Tepito Cartel and the Rodolfos cartel compete for influence and drug dealing turf. A continued uptick in violence is expected in Mexico City and on the UNAM campus in the short- to medium-term.

Advice

Individuals present in Mexico City should not hail taxis on the street, instead ordering them by phone or at a taxi stand. Individuals are advised to remain vigilant at all times due to high crime rates, maintain a low profile (conceal signs of wealth to avoid attracting the attention of would-be thieves), and report suspicious behavior to relevant authorities. Do not attempt to resist would-be attackers or thieves; report attacks or robberies to the police.