Quintana Roo Homicides Down 68% in 2025

QUINTANA ROO, Mexico — The Attorney General of Quintana Roo, Raciel López Salazar, reported that intentional homicides in the state decreased by 68% between January and September of 2025, compared to the same period the previous year. He stated that the reduction is the result of collaborative work with the Inter-Institutional Coordination Group, which includes the Attorney General's Office, the Army, the Navy, the National Guard, the State Police, and municipal corporations.

During his press conference, López Salazar affirmed that the close of September was "very positive" and that this downward trend reflects greater effectiveness in intelligence tasks, patrolling, and the detention of generators of violence across the entire state territory.

Municipalities With the Greatest Progress

According to official figures, Puerto Morelos achieved a 100% reduction in homicides, followed by José María Morelos with 90%, Bacalar with 63%, and Felipe Carrillo Puerto with 62%. Meanwhile, Othón P. Blanco reported a decrease of 60%, Tulum 58%, and Benito Juárez (Cancún) 57%.

Reductions were also recorded in Playa del Carmen (46%), Cozumel (40%), and Lázaro Cárdenas (14%), although the tourist municipalities still represent a permanent challenge due to their high population concentration, visitor mobility, and the presence of criminal groups dedicated to retail drug sales and extortion.

Since the new administration began at the Attorney General's Office in July 2023, 3,531 people have been detained for high-impact crimes, which, according to López Salazar, is due to a change in the strategy to combat crime. "This is not the work of the Attorney General's Office alone; it is a joint effort of all institutions," he emphasized.

The Attorney General added that procedural effectiveness has reached 94% in securing indictments, which, he said, "has ended the revolving door," in reference to cases where detainees were released shortly after due to a lack of evidence or flaws in the integration of investigation case files.

Backing from the State Government

Attorney General Raciel López Salazar highlighted the leadership of Governor Mara Lezama, who heads the security meetings in which crime rates are evaluated daily and actions are coordinated with federal forces. "We have a great governor who always leads the coordination group; her support has been key to maintaining stability and reducing violence," he stated.

Despite the positive trend, municipalities with a tourist focus such as Benito Juárez, Playa del Carmen, Tulum, Cozumel, and Bacalar continue to be priority zones in security strategies due to their high social and economic mobility. In these regions, crimes linked to disputes over retail drug territories and the presence of criminal groups continue to generate episodes of focused violence, which is why joint operations, criminal intelligence, and mixed patrols with federal and state forces are maintained.

Homicide Statistics

2024

• January: 120
• February: 112
• March: 134
• April: 126
• May: 157
• June: 117
• July: 142
• August: 122
• Total: 1,030

2025

• January: 94
• February: 91
• March: 108
• April: 104
• May: 112
• June: 98
• July: 120
• August: 108
• Total: 835