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-Editorial
Mexico stands at a critical juncture, with escalating violence and mounting economic pressures demanding immediate and effective action. President Claudia Sheinbaum recently introduced an ambitious National Security Strategy, a technologically driven platform designed to increase accountability and coordination across federal, state, and local agencies. The initiative seeks to address Mexico’s severe crime wave, including several high-profile cases in Baja California, which have underscored the urgency of a comprehensive and lasting solution to the nation’s security crisis.
Recent violent incidents have brought Baja California into the spotlight. Earlier this year, Minerva Perez, a well-known businesswoman, was murdered in Ensenada. Perez had openly reported illegal fishing activities, raising concerns about environmental and economic damage to law-abiding businesses. Her tragic death remains unsolved, highlighting the impunity that threatens advocates who speak out against organized crime.
In another case, Raul Valenzuela Jr., the son of a businessman in Mexicali’s construction sector, was fatally shot after leaving a local gym. Valenzuela, 35, had reportedly been targeted by criminal groups demanding extortion payments. His murder marked yet another chilling episode in Mexico’s growing pattern of targeted attacks on business figures and entrepreneurs, exacerbating public fear and frustration over the safety of prominent individuals in their own communities.
The senseless killing of three surfers—Australian brothers Jake and Callum Robinson, along with their American friend Jack Carter Rhoad—further underscores the security challenges in Baja California. The men, who were well-regarded in the surfing community of their home countries, were killed in a region where locals and tourists alike have been impacted by increasing criminal activity. Their deaths are a tragic reminder of how violence touches both foreign visitors and Mexican citizens, impacting Mexico’s tourism sector and the perception of safety in popular travel areas.
Adding to these tragedies, a young woman recently died at the hands of a rideshare driver, highlighting gaps in regulatory oversight for ride-hailing services in Mexico. Such incidents reinforce the urgent need for Sheinbaum’s strategy to address the broad spectrum of violence affecting various sectors of society.
President Sheinbaum’s new platform, developed by the Agency of Digital Transformation, compiles real-time crime data on a daily, weekly, monthly, and annual basis. This approach allows officials to pinpoint trends and monitor crime rates across states, facilitating immediate responses to emerging threats. By aligning security objectives with metrics from the Attorney General’s office, the platform emphasizes accountability and proactive engagement. “This platform enables us to evaluate the strategy daily,” Sheinbaum explained at a recent press conference, noting that the initiative aims to break away from fragmented approaches to crime control.
Security officials, including Omar García Harfuch, Secretary of Security and Civilian Protection, reported progress in recent enforcement actions. Between October 1 and November 8, over 3,000 individuals were detained for high-impact crimes, and authorities seized more than 1,300 firearms and approximately 42 tons of drugs. These seizures target substances like fentanyl and cocaine, which drive the profits and violence associated with organized crime.
As Sheinbaum’s strategy unfolds, regional efforts in Baja California and Sonora have made strides as well. In response to cross-border criminal activity, Sonora’s Governor Alfonso Durazo and Baja California’s Governor Marina del Pilar have joined forces to establish a Unified Command (*Mando Único*). This coalition is designed to bolster security in areas along the border, including Mexicali and San Luis Río Colorado, where criminal organizations compete for control. Durazo explained that the Unified Command is a response to “the confrontation between two criminal organizations” and aims to protect communities in these high-risk zones by improving resource allocation and intelligence sharing.
Meanwhile, the recent election of Donald Trump in the United States adds another layer of complexity to Mexico’s security and economic landscape. Trump’s promise to increase tariffs on Mexican exports threatens to destabilize Mexico’s economy, already vulnerable due to its reliance on U.S. trade. This economic uncertainty has caused the Mexican peso to depreciate, highlighting the close economic interdependence between the two nations. Trump’s proposed tariffs and potential changes to U.S. immigration policies could create additional challenges, especially in border states like Baja California, where economic ties and migration issues intersect.
Marcela Figueroa, head of the Executive Secretariat of the National Public Security System, shared encouraging trends, citing a 37.2% reduction in high-impact crimes since 2019. However, with Mexico still experiencing an average of 83 homicides per day, there remains a long way to go in restoring public confidence in the government’s ability to secure the nation. Figueroa highlighted that the current homicide rate reflects a decrease of 17.3% from 2019 figures, but these statistics offer little consolation to families and communities devastated by loss.
In the face of rising crime and economic uncertainty, President Sheinbaum’s National Security Strategy offers a much-needed framework for addressing Mexico’s challenges. By prioritizing transparency, fostering cooperation among federal and local agencies, and focusing on data-driven crime prevention, Sheinbaum aims to create a cohesive strategy with measurable impact. However, the platform’s success will depend on the government’s ability to maintain political will and allocate resources effectively to support long-term, sustainable security measures.
Ultimately, the National Security Strategy signals an important shift in how Mexico approaches its complex crime landscape. For Mexico to build a more stable future, federal and state governments must fully commit to implementing Sheinbaum’s plan and responding to the needs of communities most affected by violence. Whether this strategy will usher in the safety and economic stability Mexico urgently needs remains to be seen, but its potential to reshape the security landscape cannot be overlooked. As Mexico confronts rising internal and external pressures, the country’s future stability hinges on the effectiveness of these new measures and the government’s resolve to protect its citizens and economy.
