10/05/2023 (written by tfaris) – Tijuana mayor Monsterrat Caballero announced on June 12, 2023 that she would be relocating her and her family to an army base in the Tijuana area as a result of continuous threats she received from organized crime groups. Caballero did not specify the exact source of the threats. The Tijuana mayor added during an August 4th press conference that while she is still concerned for her safety and will remain in the army base, the threats are not enough to force her to resign from her position. Caballero believes the threats from organized crime groups come from her efforts to fight organized crime and drug distribution, as well as her promotion of drug treatment facilities.
Rising crime in Tijuana
These threats towards the Tijuana mayor come amidst a recent rise in crime and violence in the city. According to the annual Mexico Peace Index made by the Institute for Economics and Peace, much of the rising violence in Mexico can be attributed to disputes between the Sinaloa Cartel and the Jalisco New Generation Cartel (CJNG), the main cartels competing for local drug sales and U.S. distribution channels. According to Justice in Mexico’s Organized Crime and Violence Report, Tijuana is uniquely affected by drug cartel battles because of its position on the northern border of Mexico. The entrance of CJNG to Tijuana in 2016 created multiple crucial schisms in cartel loyalty, resulting in violent confrontations.
Justice in Mexico also reported that Tijuana was the municipality that contributed the highest concentration of homicides in all of Mexico in 2020. Tijuana saw 1,846 homicides in this year, making up 5% of all homicides in Mexico in 2020. According to the Associated Press, killings in Tijuana have risen by 9% in the last 12 months. Additionally, there were 1,818 killings between May 2022 and May 2023, once again establishing Tijuana as the Mexican city with the highest homicide rate in this time frame.
Economic impact of violence
In August 2022, Tijuana saw a particularly violent day during which 30 cars were reported to have been burned. The Mexican government is currently blaming the CJNG for the arson. The following day, the BBC reported that very few people ventured out onto the streets of Tijuana. Businesses remained closed and university classes were canceled. Violent unrest in Tijuana causes the economy to suffer. According to El Sol de Tijuana, when there is instability in the community, Tijuanenses choose not to go out as much, causing businesses to not be patronized as frequently. The incident reported by the BBC, which occurred in August of 2022, is an example of how violent incidents can result in business closures.
The Pan-American Journal of Public Health released a report of the economic impact of crime and violence in Mexico in 2021. This report was a product of the calculation of the economic losses to businesses, individuals, and the government. It was found that 30.5% of all businesses in Mexico were victims of crime in 2019. The cost of a homicide is calculated by the loss of the future earnings of the deceased individual, costs of physical or emotional injuries of victims’ families that require medical care, disability, legal costs, funeral services etc. The government, with the rising rate of homicides, must contend for added police and other security costs, as well as increased social services for victims’ families. The Journal found that the country suffered a loss of 14.6% of their GDP, or $192.6 billion (U.S.) in 2021.
Source
Associated Press. “Mayor of Mexican border city of Tijuana living at army base after receiving threats.” Associated Press. June 13, 2023.
Calderon, Laura; et. Al. “Organized Crime and Violence in Mexico: 2021 Special Report.” Justice in Mexico. October 2021.
Cervantes, Arturo; et. Al. “Estimating the economic impact of interpersonal violence in Mexico in 2021: projecting three hypothetical scenarios for 2030.” Pan American Journal of Public Health. 2023.
Jaramillo Castro, Eduardo. “Violencia del crimen organizado afecta economía tijuanense: CCE.” El Sol de Tijuana. September 14, 2023.
Rivera, Salvador. “Tijuana mayor says she’s still getting death threats, continues to live in army facility.” Fox 5 San Diego. August 4, 2023.
Saldana Tellez, Bernardo de Jesus. “Opinion: Sky-high homicide rates in Tijuana and Rosarito demand a constructive government response.” The San Diego Union-Tribune. August 24, 2023.
The BBC. “Tijuana rocked by wave of violent crime.” BBC News. August 14, 2022.
The Institute for Economics and Peace. “Third consecutive year of improvement amidst persistent organized crime challenges.” Visions of Humanity. May 23, 2023.
