Veracruz: 6,774 Murders In The Last Six Years

During the government of Cuitláhuac García, home and vehicle robberies increased, while in the south of the state more than 2,000 extortions of merchants were reported in 2023

In the last six years, 6,774 people were murdered in Veracruz, according to data from the Executive Secretariat of the National Public Security System, a crisis that is increasing in the south of the state.

For example, the Coatzacoalcos Citizen Observatory points out that in this municipality, homicides have increased more than twice this year compared to 2023.

“At the end of September, we have an increase of 266.67 percent in homicides; a lot, only 11 in one month. Right now we have more than 40 in the entire year.

“Yes, it is true, there has been the settling of accounts between criminal groups, but it is a quite alarming figure,” Renato Rivera, director of the organization, told MILENIO.

The crime that also increased during the Cuitláhuac García government was home robbery, which doubled, and vehicle robbery, which rose 150 percent.

Another crime that directly impacts the economy of southern Veracruz is extortion of merchants. Last year alone, more than 2,000 businesses acknowledged that they paid a right to operate tax.

“2,590 businesses were extorted last year, for example, in Coatzacoalcos, a very significant number. In addition, 76 percent of young people say they want to leave Coatzacoalcos because it is very dangerous here.

“Ninety percent of those surveyed say that extortion, floor tax or criminal tax are an impediment to starting a business of any kind,” Rivera said.

The entrepreneur who does not pay suffers the consequences, the criminals burn down their businesses. On July 7, members of organized crime burned down two restaurants in revenge because the owners didn’t want to pay a right to operate tax.

The first business affected was called Langostinos, located on Úrsulo Galván street, in the Puerto México neighborhood, it was reduced to ashes. The second was the La Bocana bar, according to authorities, subjects threw Molotov cocktails. In both incidents no injuries were reported, only material damage.

The businessmen asked Cuitláhuac García for support in the creation of a police unit to combat extortion, but they received no response. “He promised to carry out a comprehensive strategy to combat extortion, which never happened, he didn’t do it, he didn’t comply, with all due respect,” Rivera denounced.

Likewise, the Coatzacoalcos boardwalk died. At least fifty businesses closed their doors for fear of extortion, and some businessmen even went to other states and abroad.

“For the same fear… with the objective of safeguarding the integrity of the family and themselves. Many colleagues have had to leave the state, even the country, and they remain operating their businesses with the most basic personnel,” said a businessman.

At least fifty houses were abandoned or are rented out, their owners left because they were also victims of the criminals.

No progress

Cuitláhuac García’s six-year term is about to end and Veracruz has not made progress in terms of justice during his administration; on the contrary, there have been setbacks, warned former legislator José Manuel del Río Virgen.

Who was technical secretary of the Senate’s Political Coordination Board in 2021 and in December of that same year interned in the Pacho Viejo prison (accused of being the mastermind behind the crime of René Tovar, a mayoral candidate murdered in June in Cazones de Herrera), he stated that the citizens of Veracruz suffer from a lack of access to justice, the poor condition of the roads and deficiencies in services.

“What makes me sad as a Veracruz resident is that we were unable to make progress on the issue of justice. The world justice report rates us truly poorly, putting the state prosecutor’s office in third place, as the worst of all the prosecutors’ offices in the country.

“The Supreme Court of Justice is ranked 29th among the worst in the country, and it is a world report that has dared to rate Mexico and puts it at 118 out of 352 nations,” he said.

In an interview with MILENIO Television, the politician recalled when he was imprisoned in Pacho Viejo and commented that what hurts him the most is that many innocent people are still in prison, after leaving prison he has dedicated himself to helping those who don’t have legal representation. 

“There are still many innocent people inside who cannot get out, because unfortunately the state government puts pressure on the control judges, the prosecutor’s office, and puts a lot of pressure on the federal justice system,” he said.

The current senator for Movimiento Ciudadano said that the governor-elect, Rocío Nahle, has in her hands the possibility of getting the state back on its feet if she has the will to take advantage of the working population and local wealth.

Six months after his arrest, Del Río Virgen was released in June 2022, after a federal court determined that there was no evidence to prove his responsibility in the murder of the candidate for mayor of Cazones.

Milenio