The most recent federal crime data in Mexico show homicides continuing to increase in the country. But authorities say the growth in violence is starting to slow.
There were 2,944 homicides recorded in Mexico last month. That’s a nearly 8% increase from September to October, with 2020 on track to become Mexico’s most violent year on record.
"We're still in the line of containment, with a very small increase from the month of September to the month of October," said Deputy Security Secretary Ricardo Mejia, presenting the troubling data.
He said that while the number of murders continues to rise, that increase is slower than it has been in recent years.
From January to October of this year, homicides in Mexico increased by just more than 1% compared to the same period in 2019. But in some parts of the country, murders are up by as much as 64%.
In neighboring Sonora, there were more than 1,300 homicides reported during the first 10 months of this year. That's about 20% more than during the same period last year.
