Quintana Roo Records 69.3% Drop in Intentional Homicides in First Two Months of 2026

Cancún, Quintana Roo — The Mexican state of Quintana Roo recorded a 69.3% reduction in the daily average of intentional homicides during the first two months of 2026 compared to the same period last year, according to federal security officials.

Marcela Figueroa, head of the Executive Secretariat of the National Public Security System (SESNSP), announced the data during a morning press conference led by President Claudia Sheinbaum, who noted that intentional homicides nationwide have decreased by 44% since her administration began.

With this reduction, Quintana Roo improved its national ranking, moving from 18th to 22nd place among states with the lowest daily average of intentional homicides.

“When comparing the first two months of 2025 against the first two months of 2026, we observe that 26 states decreased their daily homicide average, and Quintana Roo was in second place,” Figueroa explained during the federal security briefing.

According to SESNSP records, approximately 378 intentional homicide victims were counted in Quintana Roo throughout all of 2025, while 24 cases have been registered in the first two months of 2026, explaining the reported reduction in the daily crime average.

Of the total victims recorded so far in 2026, most are men with 19 cases, while four victims have been women, according to preliminary crime incidence reports.

Expert Analysis

Regarding the decrease in intentional homicides, sociologist María Úrsula Paredes López, a researcher in violence and citizen security, noted that public perception of insecurity often doesn’t align with official data.

“The numbers can go down, but if visible violent incidents or disputes between criminal groups continue, the public doesn’t necessarily perceive real improvement in security,” she said.

For criminologist Carlos Rubén Carrillo González, a public security specialist and professor at the University of the South in Cancún, the statistical decrease is relevant but should be analyzed cautiously.

He noted that reductions in short periods can reflect operations or temporary changes in crime dynamics, but what matters is maintaining this trend throughout the year.

However, experts agree that the true indicator will be whether the reduction continues in the coming months in a state where violence has been largely linked to organized crime disputes in urban and tourist areas.