Mexico: Highest daily number of homicides in 2020 recorded on April 19

Event

On Sunday, April 19, a total of 105 homicides were reported across the country, making it the highest daily murder rate of the year to date. The worst affected state was Mexico state, with 12 cases reported over 24 hours, followed by Chihuahua state with ten, and Mexico City with nine. This single-day high is reported despite the ongoing nationwide lockdown measures enacted on Monday, March 30, to prevent the spread of the coronavirus disease (COVID-19).

The previous highest number of daily deaths in 2020 was recorded on Saturday, April 4, with 104 murders. The highest monthly total of murders linked to organized crime in 13 years was reported in March 2020, with 2585 homicides.

Further violence is likely in the short-term, as cartels struggle due to the loss in income caused by COVID-19 and related border closures, and lack of demand.

Context

Violence in Mexico has continually risen since the start of the Mexican Drug War in December 2006. Since then, more than 275,000 people have been killed, with 34,608 murders recorded in 2019, the highest number since 1997. On April 6, the Mexican government announced that a total of 61,637 people are reported missing. According to authorities, drug cartels have been responsible for the vast majority of these crimes and typically use unmarked pits to dispose of the corpses of victims, making it difficult for authorities to retrieve and identify the bodies, as well as accurately count the number of deaths.

Advice

Individuals in Mexico are advised to remain vigilant, follow all instructions issued by local authorities, and exercise basic security precautions (e.g. keep signs of wealth concealed, drive with doors locked and windows rolled up, etc.). Individuals are advised to undergo strict pre-travel risk mitigation procedures in order to remain well-informed and situationally aware of ongoing incidents on planned routes.