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El Ciudadano

Original article: CDMX recibe al Mundial con reducción de 65% en delitos de alto impacto

Mexico City (CDMX) is confronting one of the most significant logistical and security challenges in its recent history with the arrival of the 2026 World Cup. Official data presented by the city government indicates notable progress: the incidence of major crimes in the city has dropped by 65% between January and May 2026 compared to the same period in 2019.

According to government chief, Clara Brugada Molina, while presenting the Monthly Security Report for May, the decline in crime rates is not an isolated event but the outcome of seven consecutive years of institutional efforts that have enhanced police capabilities and improved coordination among various levels of government.

«We arrive at the World Cup with a safer city, better prepared, and with a stronger, more professional police force that is close to the community,» Brugada asserted, attempting to instill confidence ahead of the global sporting event focused on Mexico’s capital.

The statistics presented by the CDMX government reveal a consistent downward trend in crime rates, with an additional 8% decrease compared to the same period in 2025. This solidifies a downward curve that has radically transformed the security landscape in the city. While in 2019, an average of 148 major crimes occurred daily, this number is now below 50 cases per day, representing a substantial improvement in the quality of life for the over nine million residents of the capital.

Eight Strategic Axes and Over 36,000 Cameras

The security strategy implemented is based on eight fundamental axes that tackle crime from multiple perspectives, including addressing the structural causes of violence, enhancing police force, applying intelligence and technology to security, fostering inter-institutional coordination, conducting ongoing territorial evaluations, community policing, creating peaceful neighborhoods, and integrating a gender perspective in all undertaken actions.

Among the standout initiatives that have contributed to these results, the government chief highlighted the Youth Village program, aimed at at-risk youth, along with the installation of 36,000 new surveillance cameras, which increases the total to nearly 120,000 operational devices citywide. Additionally, 72 peace zones have been established across 23 priority territories historically characterized by high violence rates.

Historic Decline in Homicides and Operational Results

In the specific area of intentional homicides, the downward trend is also significant, with a 51% reduction compared to 2019 and an 8.8% decline from the previous year. Currently, the city records slightly more than two homicides daily, a stark contrast to the more than four cases per day reported seven years ago.

City Security Secretary, Pablo Vázquez Camacho, provided operational data backing these figures, reporting that since October 2024, police forces have arrested 10,897 individuals for major crimes and dismantled 41 criminal cells operating across various city locations. He also emphasized the capture of 1,238 alleged criminals linked to violent groups, as reported by La Jornada.

The operational results achieved during this period include the , over 1,700 kilograms of marijuana, 224 kilograms of cocaine, and the confiscation of more than 6,000 vehicles linked to illegal activities.