1. Tijuana, Mexico
- 138 Homicides
With 138 homicides per 100,000 citizens reported, the resort city of Tijuana is the most dangerous place in the world.
It sits on the border with San Diego and attracts thousands of US tourists every day with its fascinating souvenir shops, bars, and red-light district. In the past decade or so, the city has become a battleground for several rival gangs.
The average number of homicides has been 2000 per year in the past few years. Baja California prosecutors say that so far in 2022, 882 murders were recorded. The most violent month was June – at least 196 people were killed, or an average of 7 per day.
2. Acapulco, Mexico
- 111 Homicides
Enters the list of the deadliest cities in the world to live in 2022 – the upsurge in drug trafficking and gang-related crime has turned Acapulco into Mexico’s murder capital. Shocking data shows 111 murders per 100,000 people.
The violence seems to be escalating even more – in the first seven months following the election of Evelyn Salgado Pineda as the new Governor of the state of Guerrero, 645 intentional homicides were registered in the state according to the Executive Secretariat of the National Public Security System.
3. Caracas, Venezuela
- 100 Homicides
Caracas, the capital and largest city of Venezuela, has one of the highest per capita murder rates in the world – 100 homicides per 100,000 inhabitants.
An even more chilling fact about the city is that most homicides and other violent crimes go unsolved.
Although Venezuela has the largest oil reserves in the world, due to ineffective policies over the past decade, it currently struggles with hyperinflation, extreme poverty, shortages of basic goods, malnutrition, and a high child mortality rate.
4. Ciudad Victoria, Mexico
- 86 Homicides
Home to a little over 300,000 people, Ciudad Victoria is the capital of the Mexican state of Tamaulipas on the US border. It has a homicide rate of 86 per 100,000 people.
The city has seen a surge in violent crime rates over the past couple of years – armed robberies, assaults, and homicides have become common, along with the more “mundane” drug trade, corruption, and kidnappings.
5. Ciudad Juárez, Mexico
- 86 Homicides
With 86 homicides per 100,000 inhabitants, Cuidad Juárez is yet another Mexican city to appear on this list. It sits on the Rio Grande river and is home to 1.5 million people, making it the most populous city in Chihuahua. Although Cuidad Juárez is a major manufacturing center, it is also among the world’s deadliest places to live in and visit.
The city has been struggling with organized crime, mass killings, and wars between narco cartels where, often, innocent bystanders get caught in the crossfire.
6. Irapuato, Mexico
- 81 Homicides
Known as an agricultural and livestock-raising center, Irapuato is sometimes referred to as the World’s Strawberry Capital. However, it also has a murder rate of 81 per 100,000 people, so most tourists would probably prefer to stay away from its delicious fruits among other things.
Cartel violence has soared in the past few years, leaving dozens of dead and injured following bloody gang wars. In the summer of 2020, two cartel-related massacres were committed in drug rehabilitation centers in Irapuato, with at least 38 killed in the shootings.
7. Ciudad Guayana, Venezuela
- 78 Homicides
Ciudad Guayana, a sprawling city with a population of around 950,000, is one of the most strategic cities for Venezuela. It sits on the south bank of the Orinoco River and has the most developed industry in the country.
Still, the severe Venezuelan economic crisis has had its impact even here, resulting in increased unemployment, poverty, and crime rates.
The latest stats show a homicide rate of 78 per 100,000 people.
8. Natal, Brazil
- 75 Homicides
For years, the coastal city of Natal has had a reputation for being one of the safest places in Brazil. It is the capital of the state of Rio Grande do Norte and has a population of nearly one million.
Although the city was, indeed, one of the most popular tourist destinations in the country, this changed in the past 15 years – the murder rate for the state increased by a staggering 655%.
In 2017, at least 30 people were killed in a prison riot in the State Penitentiary of Alcacuz in Nisia Floresta near Natal.
9. Fortaleza, Brazil
- 69 Homicides
Fortaleza has a population of more than 4.1 million, one of Brazil’s largest cities. It is also among the most dangerous places to live in or visit in the world – more than 2700 people were killed within a year, according to the latest available stats.
This means that the city has a homicide rate of 69 per 100,000 inhabitants.
Along with armed robberies, assaults, and kidnappings, drug gang conflicts also plague the city.
10. Ciudad Bolívar, Venezuela
- 69 Homicides
The last city on this list is the capital of Venezuela’s southeastern Bolívar State. Ciudad Bolívar is an important river port, lying on the Orinoco River, and is home to nearly half a million people.
The city and the state of Bolívar have attracted armed groups and mega-gangs who now control the local mines and businesses, using bribes, extortion, and violence. Looking at the ten deadliest cities on the planet, we can surely say that Latin America is the most dangerous part of the world.
