During the first four months of the year, the state of Guanajuato ranked third nationally in the rate of extortion cases per 100,000 inhabitants, according to the Executive Secretariat of the National Public Security System.
The data show that, despite a 2 percent decrease, the state remains a hotspot for this crime. During the aforementioned period, the state recorded 453 investigation files, compared to 447 in the previous comparable period.
State Public Security Secretary Salvador Cruz Neri noted that extortion incidents were reduced by 42.44 percent between the 2024 and 2025 periods.
Morelos holds the top spot, followed by Zacatecas; Guanajuato ranks third, followed by Mexico City and Colima.
The Guanajuato Attorney General’s Office identifies two types of extortion: direct and indirect. In the direct form, the criminal physically appears at a business or private residence to threaten the owner or staff. They often identify themselves as members of a criminal organization and warn that a payment must be made to avoid harm.
Security experts note that criminal groups seek territorial control to facilitate fuel theft and other illicit activities.
Indirect extortion—carried out via telephone—is the most common method. In this scenario, criminals contact victims through calls or text messages, presenting scenarios that threaten the safety of the individual or their family in order to extort a payment.
In response, the Secretariat of Security and Peace recommends several measures to prevent indirect extortion, a crime that has risen in recent years: being wary of surveys, interviews, or commercial promotions, and avoiding the disclosure of personal information to supposed companies, even when they offer attractive deals.
Source: milenio
