Yucatán has ranked as the safest state in all of Mexico according to a report published Wednesday by federal authorities.
Violent crimes are reported to have gone down over 60% when compared to last year.
With regards to murder, Yucatán now ranks eight times better than the national average of 0.39 per 100,000.
Despite the good news, activists are warning that these statistics should be taken with a grain of salt, as many crimes often go unreported.
This is especially true when it comes to marginalized groups including members of the LGBTQ+ community.
“Yucatán loves to present this idyllic image that does not always really match the reality on the ground,” said activist Gina Villagómez Valdés.
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Critics of the government also say that peace in Yucatán has come at the cost of increased video surveillance and militarization.
In January, Yucatán’s government opened a new remote surveillance center to oversee the state’s thousands of active security cameras.
The number of surveillance cameras in Mérida alone was recently announced to have jumped from 2,248 to 6,775.
Also of concern to some is the increased visibility of Mexico’s armed forces and national guard, especially in airports and federal facilities such as Progreso’s port.
