April 19 (Global Web Wire)- This Wednesday, hours after the National Institute of Statistics and Geography (INEGI) presented the results of the National Urban Public Safety Survey (ENSU), which places the municipality of Fresnillo as the city with the highest perception of insecurity in the country, followed by the city of Zacatecas, Mayor Saúl Monreal Ávila referred to the reduction in homicides to question the veracity of the results: “It is an issue about which little can be done because it seems that the survey is rigged.”
However, in the last two months, Fresnillo has suffered high-impact violent events, such as two days of blockades on at least six federal and state highways, most of them with vehicles set on fire, as well as a massacre in the historic center on April 1 when four cab drivers were shot, and simultaneously, two other men were killed in nearby neighborhoods.
The city of Zacatecas ranks second in the perception of insecurity
According to tourism service providers in the capital city, it was precisely the image of a violent state that the entire state of Zacatecas has, which caused the number of visitors to plummet even below the pandemic years.
After reporting that Easter Week did not even reach 30% occupancy (a figure 50% lower than that of pre-pandemic years), Raul Muñoz del Cojo, president of the Zacatecas Hotel Association, blamed the crisis in his sector on the news of violence that is broadcast nationally: “We need people to come to Zacatecas and see the quality of life we have. Sadly, as everyone knows, sometimes the news does not favor us very much.”
Unlike Fresnillo, Zacatecas is not among the 50 priority cities for the National Public Security System strategy, a list originally made up of the cities with the most murders. According to the State Attorney General’s Office, 189 intentional homicides were registered in the capital during 2022.
ENSU Results
96% of the population over 18 years of age in Fresnillo and 94.3% in the capital “considered it unsafe to live in their city,” well above the national average (62.1%), according to the survey conducted in March of this year.
The following are the 10 cities where people over the age of 18 are most concerned about becoming a victim of crime: Naucalpan de Juarez (88.0%), Ciudad Obregon (86.4%), Uruapan (86.2%), Colima (85.7%), Irapuato (85.3%), Toluca (85%), Chilpancingo (83%), and Cancun (83%).
Although Fresnillo had a 3.4% reduction in the perception of insecurity in the last quarter, it remained in first place nationally in the measurement.
Yesterday, Tuesday, the Executive Secretariat of the National Public Security System (SESNSP) reported that in the last 12 months (from April 2022 to March 2023) in Fresnillo, 235 murders were registered, 151 less than the previous year, which places it as the 20th city with the most victims in the country.
Insecurity at the state level
In the first quarter of 2023, Zacatecas has accumulated 321 homicides, which places the state in tenth place with the highest number below Guanajuato, the State of Mexico, Chihuahua, Baja California, Jalisco, Michoacán, Sonora, Guerrero, and Morelos.
The number of victims in Zacatecas is lower than that of other entities whose cities have a lower perception of insecurity; for example, the capital of Guanajuato has a 62.6% perception of insecurity, although it surpasses Zacatecas in homicides with a difference of 152%.
In the third month of 2023, Zacatecas was the state with the third-highest rate of intentional homicides per 100 thousand inhabitants, with 5.4, after Colima and Morelos, which had 9.9 and 6.4, respectively.
According to the Civil Association Causa en Común, Zacatecas was the most lethal state for police officers in 2022, with a total of 60 security agents murdered; so far in 2023, it ranks fourth with 10, after Guanajuato, Chihuahua, and Michoacán.
Patrick Bannett is a profound writer and content producer embarking on his digital journalism journey with Global Web Wire. He is knowledgeable on various daily life topics, including politics, personal finance, travel, lifestyle, and relationships. Apart from writing, Patrick is also an accomplished communicator and networker. He always seeks new opportunities to collaborate with like-minded individuals and businesses. Bannett enjoys hiking, practicing yoga, and exploring new cultures when he is not writing. Bannett holds a Ph.D. in English and Communications and continues expanding his knowledge through ongoing education and research.
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