FEMALE REPORTER: On this issue of security, have you identified the Mexican criminal groups that recruit Colombians specifically to commit crimes? I’d also like to ask how strong this connection is between these criminal cells between Mexico and Colombia, which led to these working groups being held. I also don’t know if you can share with us the progress and results.
OMAR GARCIA HARFUCH: Mainly, the vast majority have been from the Jalisco Cartel. Recruitment has been by the Jalisco Cartel; however, there have also been some from the Sinaloa Cartel. The result of these meetings was precisely due to the arrests of citizens from this country. The meetings allow for a much faster and more agile exchange of information. We have had great collaboration from the Colombian government to avoid bureaucracy and obtain information much more quickly.
FEMALE REPORTER: Yes, Secretary. Well, taking advantage of the fact that you have the right to speak, a few weeks ago, I asked you if there was a kind of mapping, or if you could present us with a mapping of the prisons where they are recruiting precisely these people who have been detained, uh, for the past few months. Right now, there are more than 20,000. I would like to ask you if these prisons aren’t experiencing this overcrowding, which we know occurs in some of them. So, let’s also see how this situation has been, with regard to this, well, uh, the detention.
OMAR GARCIA HARFUCH: In this case, the imprisonment of these people is distributed among the 32 states. These detentions, as we mentioned in the report, are not exclusively carried out by the federal government; they are carried out in coordination with the states. Just an example. In Sinaloa, there have been almost 2,000, and a high percentage are also incarcerated there. Guanajuato has had almost 3,000 detainees, etc. So they are incarcerated in the 32 states, in many state prisons, but also in federal prisons. And the most common crimes are carrying a firearm, possession of drugs, and possession of a controlled substance.
FEMALE REPORTER: Thank you, Secretary. Also, on another note, President, I would like to tell you that a few weeks ago, Carlos Manso, mayor of Uruapan, called on the police to fight head-on, use lethal force against criminals, to protect the citizens. He also stated that he would resign if you and the other security forces could combat and reduce crime in the municipality without firing a single shot. Yesterday, for example, the governor of Chiapas, Eduardo Ramírez, commented again that the law would continue to be firmly enforced. In fact, he also reinforced this with a statement that He made this statement last week after the murder of five police officers from the Ministry of Security who were ambushed, stabbed, and burned. There, he commented that there would be a clear and forceful response, eh, with the unrestricted application of the law. I’ll tell you about this unfortunate incident with the police later. I mean, eh, in these two cases, the statements are that they will be, let’s say, confronting crime. You have expressed your disagreement, eh, let’s say, in this, and I would like to ask you, what then would be the tools that the governors would have to use to confront crime, when, when, these attacks have been lethal, not only for police officers but for the population itself. I mean, even this present municipal government of Uruapan said that how can we not give hugs when criminals are spending their time extorting workers like the eh Avocado producers or murdering children. What would be your position in that regard, President?
CLAUDIA SHEINBAUM: The security strategy we have. We do not believe in extrajudicial killings. We believe in the rule of law and in compliance with the law and zero impunity. But we do not believe in the war on drugs. Not in that. Now the results. Why can’t the results be repeated? They are a reduction of almost 26% of intentional homicides during our tenure in government.
There is a strategy we are implementing that yields results and will continue to yield results because we see it every day.
Attention to the causes, strengthening the security guard, intelligence, investigation, and coordination. Then there are arrests of criminals based on our accusatory criminal justice system. If at any time the armed forces, the National Guard, or a police force are attacked, then in the rational use of force, they respond in self-defense. But the solution is not extrajudicial executions. That, in addition to being immoral, does not yield results.
FEMELA REPORTER: That immediate reaction should not also be to protect the citizenry. It presents or should not be.
CLAUDIA SHEINBAUM: Here are the results. Look: 25.8% fewer homicides, 22 fewer homicides per day, and the permanent work of the cabinet, which is among the best our country has.
FEMALE REPORTER: The perception of the citizenry and some Governors, no, that’s not the case, President.
Here are the results. Look, 86.9 homicides per day average in September 2024. In May 2025, 64.5, so I don’t know if there will be 22 fewer homicides per day, and ongoing daily work not only on homicides but on all high-impact crimes in coordination with the states. The strategy will continue to yield results. But this, uh, this idea that by declaring, we must be firm. It’s not a matter of strategy and intelligence, but of results and honesty. Would you then leave intelligence? Would you then leave attention to the causes? Zero impunity is yielding results, and honesty. Well, honesty yields results.
FEMALE REPORTER: Would you then return to this strategy that was implemented last six years, with hugs not bullets.
CLAUIDA SHEINBAUM: Let’s see, comrade, we’re talking about the results. I mean, there are four axes. Four axes. Four four four axes of the second floor of the fourth transformation. Attention to the causes. We embraced the youth. Yes, yes, we embraced them throughout the neoliberal period. The youth were not embraced They were called ninis (young people) You neither study nor work They were not given alternative What do we give them Education culture sports employment So yes, we love young Mexicans and we want them to live well and have hope So that’s why we address the causes, but that’s not the only thing Strengthening the guard The National Guard is a great
institution and it is being strengthened and the states are responsible for strengthening their police forces where we are collaborating and coordinating in everything they need, and the municipalities are also responsible for strengthening their municipal police forces The third intelligence and investigation to be co-adjutants of the Public Ministry Why, so that there are good investigation files arrests of those who commit a crime and coordination between All the institutions that we meet every day for an hour and a half in the morning to follow up.
So, is it producing results? Yes, it is producing results. We need to produce more results too. We need to produce even more results, and we demand a lot from each other. There is a lot of demand within the cabinet to continue serving the people, and the goal is for all Mexicans to live in peace and safety. That is the goal, and we work every day to ensure that this is the case. Well done, President.
