“Sol Prendido” for Borderland Beat
Just over a decade ago, Coahuila was one of Mexico’s most violent states. Today, according to INEGI’s survey on victimization and public security perception, Coahuila is the state where the population feels safest.
This transformation took years—it didn’t happen overnight—and is the result of strategies sustained beyond a single six-year term, in a country where security policy is usually reinvented every six years.
Fifteen years ago, Coahuila was one of the country’s most violent states due to rifts between criminal groups operating there, such as Los Zetas and the Gulf Cartel. This situation coincided with the implementation of former President Felipe Calderón’s security strategy.
We lived through the most difficult times during our childhood. The breaking point came in 2011 with the Allende massacre—where an estimated 42 people died and their bodies were never found—and a year later with the mass escape of 132 inmates from the Piedras Negras prison.
Good afternoon. Following the crisis, the presence of federal forces was stepped up, and a joint strategy was devised. Large military bases were built to fortify borders and coordinate operations.
Local police forces were purged, new security units were created, and the government and civil society sought to coordinate their efforts. The years following 2011 were very difficult regarding security.
It was a struggle just to go out on the street; they gradually fortified the state to the point where, today, we can say we are one of the safe states. It’s much better now; in fact, patrols come by much more frequently.
According to INEGI’s latest national survey on victimization and public security perception, 72.2% of Coahuila residents feel safe in their state, whereas the national average is barely 26%.
Coahuila’s case is exceptional, and what the state has achieved over the last 15 years is a remarkable feat. …intolerance, let’s say, on the part of the government regarding criminal groups controlling parts of the territory, right?
Here, the government authority is the one in control of the territory, and any criminal group attempting to colonize an area and start collecting “rents” will be fought decisively.
The homicide figures confirm this trend. In 2012, Coahuila reached a peak of 1,146 murders. By 2025, the figure had dropped to 100—the lowest on record. It is not just about force or the display of force; fundamentally, it is about continuity—consistently implementing prevention and deterrence programs and training local police forces.
Although challenges remain—such as combating common crime and extortion—Coahuila’s case shows that the strategy fostered citizen trust and the involvement of social sectors in the authorities’ work.
It was truly something very palpable. You would see or hear about clashes; you might get caught in a shootout; there was a great deal of confrontation. The reality is that significant coordination began to develop between the government and the state.
Source: NMás