Intentional Homicides in Zacatecas Fall 96% Since 2021, SESNSP Reports

ByFernanda Monroy

This article by Fernanda Monroy originally appeared in the September 4, 2026 edition of Contralínea, a Mexican investigative journalism magazine.

The daily average of intentional homicides in Zacatecas dropped 96 percent between 2021 and 2026, falling from 4.5 killings a day to 0.2, according to preliminary figures presented by the head of the Executive Secretariat of the National Public Security System (SESNSP), Marcela Figueroa Franco.

During the morning press conference, the head of the SESNSP reported that 2026 registers the lowest daily average of intentional homicides in the entire statistical series for the state, which goes back to 2015.

Figueroa explained that the upward trend recorded between 2015 and 2021 began to reverse starting in 2022. The peak was reached in 2021, when Zacatecas registered an average of 4.5 intentional homicides per day.

The reduction is also seen when comparing the start of the current federal administration with the most recent data. Between September 2024 and August 2026, the daily average of this crime fell 85 percent, going from 1.13 homicides a day to 0.17 in August of this year.

According to the report presented by the SESNSP, high-impact crimes reached their historic high in Zacatecas in 2022, with an average of 9.7 cases a day, and beginning that year a sustained reduction started. Comparing 2022 with the preliminary figure for 2026, the daily average went from 9.7 to 4 high-impact crimes, a decrease of 59 percent.

Vehicle theft also shows a reduction; between 2022 and the preliminary figure for 2026, the daily average of violent vehicle thefts went from 5 to 2.9 cases, a drop of 42 percent.

According to the head of the secretariat, 2026 also registers the lowest daily average of vehicle theft in the entire historical series.

On another note, the reduction in crime also coincides with a decline in the perception of insecurity among the population of Zacatecas, although the percentage of people who feel unsafe remains high.

Based on the National Urban Public Security Survey (ENSU) by Inegi, the perception of insecurity went from 94.8 percent in the first quarter of 2023, when it reached its highest point, to 75.1 percent in the second quarter of 2026. The change represents a reduction of 21 percent over that period.

The official presented these results as part of the Zacatecas Crime Incidence Report, with information updated through August 31, 2026 and preliminary data for the current year.