COLIMA CITY, MEXICO — A sobering new report from the National Institute of Statistics and Geography (INEGI) reveals that Colima has become a grim anomaly in Mexico’s national landscape, becoming the only state in the country where homicide is the primary cause of death.

According to the latest public report on mortality statistics for the first quarter of 2026, the violent reality in Colima stands in stark contrast to the rest of the nation. In all 31 other Mexican states, heart disease remains the leading cause of death. In Colima, however, the state is being ravaged by violence, with 151 homicides recorded between January and March. Of those victims, 133 were men and 18 were women, solidifying homicide as the leading killer for the male population as well.

The data highlights a lethal hierarchy of mortality in the state:

Homicides: 151
Heart Disease: 130
Malignant Tumors: 99
Diabetes Mellitus: 70
Accidents: 55
Security authorities attribute this spike in violence to a fierce territorial war between major organized crime groups, including the Jalisco New Generation Cartel (CJNG), the Independent Cartel of Colima, and the Sinaloa Cartel. The escalation of violence is largely traced back to the 2022 schism between the Los Mezcales group (now the Independent Cartel) and the CJNG. This fracture has resulted in hundreds of deaths, including targets ranging from business leaders and lawyers to state and municipal police officers.

Geographic factors also play a critical role in the state’s volatility. The Port of Manzanillo has long been a high-value target for criminal organizations due to its strategic importance as a gateway for chemical precursors arriving from Asia. This has fueled a persistent and bloody struggle for control over the coastline.

While Governor Indira Vizcaíno Silva recently announced significant investments in security equipment for both state and municipal corporations, the impact on the ground remains limited. Violence continues to occur in broad daylight across the state.

In a recent effort to disrupt the flow of illicit trade, the Federal Public Ministry in Colima reported the incineration of more than three tons of drugs. The operation is estimated to have caused a financial loss of over 648 million pesos to organized crime.

The next quarterly mortality report is scheduled for public release on November 10, 2026.