Mexico, a Country Caught Between Mafias
The recent murders of the Uruapan mayor and the leader of the lemon growers’ guild in Michoacán highlight a significant shift in organized crime dynamics. Complex extortion networks have now spread across entire regions, overshadowing previous criminal patterns.
Mexico is currently facing a fragile situation that remains largely hidden from official crime statistics. The federal government regularly reports progress in its security strategy, showing declines in homicides and many types of high-impact crimes. After over 15 years of steadily increasing violence, these trends would seem encouraging.
However, a growing threat casts a long shadow: extortion. This crime, carried out by mafias, appears to evade effective governmental responses. Where drug production and trafficking once dominated criminal enterprises, increasingly sophisticated extortion schemes are now taking hold.
Rising Extortion and Government Response
Reported extortion cases have increased noticeably in recent years, despite the fact that many such crimes remain unreported. To combat this, the executive branch, under Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum, launched a special strategy in July. Yet, its effectiveness is still unclear.
Expert Insight
“It all started with a seductive message, the idea of providing protection in exchange for security,” explains Salvador Maldonado, a researcher at the College of Michoacán, specializing in violence and criminality.
Criminal Expansion
Meanwhile, criminal organizations continue to grow, adapting to new methods and extending their control through extortion networks.
Author’s summary: The rise of sophisticated extortion schemes in Mexico reveals a dangerous evolution of organized crime, challenging authorities despite declining homicide rates.