The Cuauhtémoc neighborhood, in the heart of Mexico City (CDMX), remains under tension days after a shootout that left a police officer injured and six individuals detained. Although the confrontation occurred last Thursday, the atmosphere continues to be marked by fear and uncertainty. In streets where people once walked with peace of mind, nervous glances, closed doors, and businesses on high alert for any suspicious noise now prevail.
The common joke, “you don’t know if it’s fireworks or bullets,” has escalated to another level, robbing the tranquility of those who once considered the area relatively safe.
Insecurity in Cuauhtémoc: Residents No Longer Feel Protected
Testimonies coincide: the gunshots only confirmed a feeling that residents had been carrying for months. Crimes such as extortion, protection rackets, and robberies have become “normalized” in areas near main avenues like Reforma and Bucareli. This shootout merely exposed a latent problem.
“When we heard the shots, we ran inside the house. Seeing people throwing themselves to the ground was terrible. And the worst part is that now we live with the fear that it will happen again,” says Nancy Mendoza.
Following the police operation, several nearby homes were surrounded by Citizen Security elements. Don Francisco, an elderly man who lives next to the property where four suspects were arrested, recounted that, although the police acted as part of an operation, the fear left a lasting mark on him:
“When they opened the door, I felt persecuted. My brother and I didn’t know what to do.” The door and facade of his home were damaged. Today, he awaits a response from the authorities.
Rising Violence in CDMX: Fear Becomes Widespread
Residents agree that, for years, most violent incidents were concentrated in peripheral areas. But now, they assert, crimes are felt “at the doorstep of home.”
Merchants, students, and workers who daily traverse the area claim to be changing their routines: leaving earlier, avoiding walking at night, or seeking alternative routes to return home.
Although the Prosecutor’s Office continues its investigation and the SSC maintains patrols, residents feel that the violence will not stop. They fear that the shootout is a warning for the situation to escalate to other levels.
The fear remains, latent, reminding them that the shots have passed, but the insecurity persists, and worse, it is increasing.
