Violence displaced members of more than half a million Mexican households in past 5 years

MEXICO CITY — Violence has forced more than half a million households in Mexico to displace more than 1.6 million people over the past five years, according to data released by the nation's statistical agency. This marks the first comprehensive look at the internal displacement crisis that many groups have described as invisible.

Prior to this, the Mexican government did not share such figures, leaving civil society groups to gather information piecemeal. The data, published by Mexico’s National Institute of Statistics and Geography, reveals the crisis has affected every region of the country, with the states of Zacatecas, Morelos, Michoacan, Queretaro, and Colima experiencing the highest rates of displacement due to cartel violence.

David Mora, a Mexico analyst for International Crisis Group, called the new data a "major breakthrough" that will help authorities and civil society address the long-term humanitarian consequences of the crisis. Many displaced individuals have limited resources and often face a daunting task of starting anew. The INEGI figures do not include people displaced before 2020, suggesting the total number of displaced individuals may be even higher.

The data specifically addresses internally displaced people and does not account for those who have fled to the United States. President Claudia Sheinbaum has largely avoided discussing the issue, instead focusing on reducing homicide numbers and combating criminal groups. She has, however, addressed specific cases of families displaced by cartel violence, noting that authorities are working to help them return home.

Sheinbaum recently questioned the figures and requested additional details from INEGI regarding the methodology used to generate the data.