Violence Escalates in Yucatán Peninsula States

Mérida. The tranquility in the Yucatán Peninsula has been disrupted by a series of violent incidents recorded in Quintana Roo, Yucatán, and Campeche, where armed attacks, threats against authorities, and criminal reactions to official operations have generated social concern and a reinforcement of public security in the three states.

Quintana Roo: Narco-Blockades and Interinstitutional Operation

Once again, the south-central region of Quintana Roo was the scene this week of events associated with criminal violence, following a series of blockades, disturbances, and a security deployment that extended from Chunhuhub to Chetumal. The events were related to the detention and transfer of a woman considered a priority target within the state’s Criminal Atlas.

Residents reported the closure of access points in Chunhuhub, Polyuc, and Ramonal, where tires were burned and logs were placed to block passage, primarily on the federal highway Chetumal–Mérida. The mobilization included overflights by helicopters, light aircraft, and drones in the area known as the “short route.”

The State Attorney General’s Office (FGE) confirmed the detention of Shadani Lorena “N”, allegedly linked to a criminal group with a presence in the municipality of Felipe Carrillo Puerto. The apprehension was carried out through a coordinated operation by the Interinstitutional Group.

Following her capture, the woman was transferred under a security device comprised of units from the Investigative Police, National Guard, Navy Secretariat, and Mexican Army to facilities of the Specialized Prosecutor’s Office for Crimes against Health in Chetumal. The FGE reported that the detainee would be related to various high-impact criminal events recorded in the central zone of the state.

Bacalar, the Epicenter

What occurred this week is part of a sequence of events linked to criminal violence in southern Quintana Roo. Among the antecedents are the displacement of families in the community of El Gallito, municipality of Bacalar; the murder of Marina Coronel and José Roberto Coronel in the municipal seat; as well as official reports about aircraft linked to drug trafficking that have used clandestine runways between Bacalar and Felipe Carrillo Puerto.

In May 2025, the incursion of an armed group in El Gallito provoked the destruction of homes, the displacement of families, and the deployment of federal forces. Days before, the discovery of the bodies of Marina and José Roberto Coronel in Bacalar evidenced the increase in violence linked to the control of routes and strategic spaces in the southern zone of the state.

This region concentrates geographic conditions that have been historically exploited by criminal organizations: extensive jungle areas, low population density, secondary roads, and terrain suitable for the use of clandestine runways. In recent years, federal forces have secured aircraft related to drug trafficking in municipalities such as Bacalar, José María Morelos, and Felipe Carrillo Puerto, according to official reports.

Inhabitants of communities like Río Verde, Miguel Alemán, Canaán, Otilio Montaño, Melchor Ocampo, and Francisco Villa have reported the presence of armed men, irregular control of roads, and restrictions on nighttime mobility. In specific episodes, the Army evacuated women and minors for security reasons.

The recorded events do not occur in isolation, but as part of a regional dynamic marked by territorial control, selective violence, and the dispute over trafficking routes in southern Quintana Roo.

Yucatán: Armed Attack in Dzilam González

On January 5, an armed attack in the municipality of Dzilam González, Yucatán, left a toll of three people deceased, among them a minor, and at least two people with serious injuries.

The events occurred in the Taiwan neighborhood, on a property with a corral located on 10th Street between 17th, where activities related to horse training were taking place. According to preliminary reports, armed individuals arrived at the location aboard a truck and a motorcycle, from where they fired shots at the people present, subsequently fleeing.

The governor of Yucatán, Joaquín Díaz Mena, declared that the case would be linked to a land conflict. Ministerial investigations led to the detention of several people allegedly related to the events. State authorities have indicated that the investigation maintains open lines, including the possible connection with criminal groups from other states.

Campeche: Threats Against Prison Authorities

In Campeche, the dissemination of a video on social media generated concern among the population. In the images, a group of heavily armed people appears, with tactical clothing and covered faces, who issue threats directed at authorities, particularly related to the Social Readaptation Center of San Francisco Kobén.

The State Attorney General’s Office of Campeche (FGE) and the Secretariat of Protection and Citizen Security (SPSC) reported that the material was incorporated into the investigations and that the security of prison personnel was reinforced while the authenticity of the video and the identity of the participants are determined.

In the recording, threatening expressions directed at the authorities are heard, without there being official confirmation so far about the responsible group.