Day-to-Day Murders in the nation Drop 37% Under Claudia Sheinbaum, As per Government Figures

The typical number of per-day homicides monthly in Mexico has dropped by thirty-seven percent since Head of State Claudia Sheinbaum began her term, as stated by recent administrative figures. However, public safety specialists have warned that homicide data may not signal better countrywide security.

Marked Reduction in Per-Day Averages

There was an mean of close to 55 murders a day in November as opposed to roughly 87 when the President assumed the presidency in September. This data was provided by the head of the country’s national safety system, Marcela Figueroa Franco, during the leader's daily press briefing on a recent Tuesday.

“The outcome in homicides that we’ve had in these months is very notable,” Sheinbaum stated, adding that last month the lowest number of homicides were documented for any November in the last 10 years.

Historical Context and Government Strategy

Fierce cartel infighting, alongside the government’s highly military efforts to take on the drug gangs, have caused Mexico’s murder rate rise sharply in the past few years. The rate reached a maximum of 36,773 killings in 2020, according to the country’s national statistics agency.

That gave Mexico a homicide rate more than four times higher than that of the United States. However, killings have been on the decline, falling to 33,550 the previous year. Claudia Sheinbaum has linked her public safety plan for an apparently sharper decline in homicides this year.

At a press conference in the summer, the Mexican leader said: “We have a strategy, we have monitoring of the plan, and there is specific tracking municipality by municipality in certain cases. The strategy is effective. And we have to continue working at it every day.”

The main elements of the President's security plan include:

  • Strengthening Mexico’s national guard.
  • Improving intelligence and investigative capabilities.
  • Enhanced cooperation between various authorities.

Expert Skepticism and Statistical Limitations

However, security analysts warned that relying on homicide data to draw a conclusion of pacification was problematic. This is particularly true considering the uptick in different criminal activities such as abductions.

“It would be positive information if this were a drop, but I think we can’t just concentrate on the murder data and conclude: ‘Alright, great,’” commented Cecilia FarfĂĄn-MĂ©ndez, an authority on Mexican cartels. “I would be cautiously optimistic.”

As reported by the policy research thinktank Mexico EvalĂșa, murders overall dropped by over 20% in the initial 10 months of the current year versus the same period last year. But, disappearances have risen by 15% and in certain states have surged by as much as 200%.

“Statistics on homicides is not useful for assessing the situation of public insecurity,” said Armando Vargas, a safety analyst at Mexico EvalĂșa. “Firstly, we have police and investigators who do not have the resources or the desire to correctly identify and categorize bodies. Secondly, organised [criminals] 
 have the means to hide violence through disappearances.”

Vargas added that relying on month-to-month means of daily homicides was also an issue because it might obscure periods when there were especially spiking numbers of murders.

“Using the daily average makes surges of violent crime invisible,” he stated.

Arrests and Seizures as Measures of Progress

Where the government can point to the success of its security plan is on arrests and confiscations. Close to 40,000 suspects were arrested between last October and November 2025 for major offenses, according to official data. More than 20,000 weapons were seized and 311 tonnes of narcotics intercepted.

“The former US president cannot claim President Sheinbaum of doing nothing, because actually she is accomplishing a lot with these many thousands of arrests, thousands of confiscations, and all the tactical degrading of organised crime. It’s extremely politically profitable,” said Vargas.

Persistent Violence and Public Anger

But notwithstanding these efforts, Mexico remains grappling with high violence, with multiple states in the midst of cartel-fueled bloodshed. In the previous month there was a notable murder of a well-liked mayor in the region of Michoacan, among 10 mayors killed in the past year.

A short time after, many thousands of protesters took to the streets in Mexico City and throughout the country to show their frustration at graft and drug violence.

“The administration presents [data] in a manner to construct a story of improvement. From a political standpoint it’s extremely potent, from a social perspective it’s extremely debatable,” the analyst concluded.
Carla Wright
Carla Wright

A seasoned gambling analyst with over a decade of experience in reviewing online casinos and slot games, dedicated to helping players make informed choices.