Criminal groups in Mexico City have a way of evolving constantly, particularly during the first half of 2019 . A criminal analysis was conducted by the local Prosecutor’s Office to shed some light on the issue of criminal violence in the city. The investigation allowed authorities to identify boroughs, neighborhoods, and even the time of day in which most murders had been registered in the capital.
The report states that most murders are a result of settlings of scores and conflict over the dominion of certain drug sales points. This has derived in a much higher criminal rate than last year.
Today we bring you a list of Mexico City’s most dangerous neighborhoods, based on police reports.
1- Iztapalapa
: This is Mexico City’s most dangerous borough, where a total of 184 murders were reported from December 2018 to May 2019. 164 victims were male and 20 were female. According to police reports, the Citlali and Lomas de San Lorenzo neighborhoods were the most violent, with up to eight police interventions per week. Most murders occur on Sundays between 21:00 and 00:00 hours, specially during parties or social gatherings.
2- Gustavo A. Madero
: With a total of 131 murders (111 men and 20 women), this is a borough you may want to avoid for now. Most deaths were registered in the Zona Escolar neighborhood, with up to five police interventions per week. Most homicides occur on Thursdays, between 21:00 and 00:00 hours, though the violent events usually last through the weekend.
3- Álvaro Obregón
: This borough reported 61 victims, out of which only five were female.
Lack of action from local mayors
The highest criminal rates were reported at the borders of different boroughs, from where criminals can easily move to the other side to avoid authorities. The report points to an overall lack of action on the part of local mayors to address and prevent confrontations from happening in their territory.
The increase in criminal violence is mainly caused by the expansion of drug markets, a re-distribution and diversification of criminal groups, and the collusion of local authorities in criminal activities.
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