Mayor’s Plan Cuts Playa del Carmen Homicides by 82%

Playa del Carmen, Quintana Roo — The government led by Mayor Estefanía Mercado has achieved a historic reduction of 82.4 percent in intentional homicides, with cases falling from 62 in 2024 to 34 in 2025, solidifying Playa del Carmen as the safest municipality in Quintana Roo.

This result—the most significant decline in a decade—reflects the comprehensive security and community policing strategy implemented by the municipal government in coordination with state and federal authorities, and directed by the Secretary of Citizen Security, Carlos Montesinos.

“These results are no coincidence. They are the fruit of teamwork, citizen trust, and a daily commitment to restoring peace to our neighborhoods. Security is not just felt; it is built with technology, planning, and a presence in the community,” stated Mayor Estefanía Mercado.

In addition to the decline in homicides, the statistics reflect a general downward trend in several other crimes:

• Home burglary decreased by 10.3 percent, dropping from 310 to 281 cases.
• Human trafficking decreased by 18.2 percent, thanks to strengthened detection and prevention efforts.
• More than 297 kilograms of drugs were seized, including marijuana, crystal meth, cocaine, LSD, and resins.
• More than 20,000 coordinated patrol and operational actions were conducted in just three months.

A central component of this strategy is the Arco de Entrada, or Entry Arch, a high-tech infrastructure that allows for vehicular control and monitoring through license plate recognition and a direct connection to the C4 and C5 monitoring centers, which has strengthened the capacity for immediate emergency response.

“The Northern Arch represents a new stage of security in Playa del Carmen: technology, coordination, and collaborative work between the three levels of government,” emphasized Secretary Montesinos.

With these actions, the government of Estefanía Mercado reaffirms its commitment to building peace, order, and prosperity for all residents of Playa del Carmen, within the framework of the principles of the Fourth Transformation.