Mexico and its toxic romance with impunity: a drama that does not expire
It seems that in Mexico we have a permanent tenant, more fixed than the price of the tortilla: the dark figure. That mountain of crimes that, in an act of collective faith, we decided not to report or investigate, has comfortably settled above 90% during the last decade. Basically, it’s like your favorite show has 10 seasons and they’re all equally bad. The organization Impunidad Cero reminds us, confirming what we already suspected: the justice system is not stagnant, it is in eternal rest mode, like your Tinder profile after a disappointment in love.
The numbers don’t lie, they only season the harsh reality. Last year, 43% of Mexicans stated that the level of impunity has remained the same (that is, at its usual stratospheric level), another 40% thought that it is increasing (because why settle for bad if it can be worse?) and only 14%, probably the same ones who believe that the subway arrives on time, said that it has decreased. In short, the perception that impunity is just another member of the Mexican family is overwhelming.
Justice as a trending topic: when cases only matter if they are viral
In its report Perceptions of Impunity 2025, the organization highlights a popular belief that is stronger than TikTok’s algorithm: media and political pressure is the real driving force behind the cases. Seven out of ten people are convinced that a case only advances if it becomes a trending topic, while, historically, only two out of ten disagree. Because, let’s be honest, in the age of overinformation, a crime without coverage on social networks is like a tree falling in an empty forest: did it really happen?
But the drama doesn’t end there. The National Academic Omnibus (ONA) survey for 2024, carried out by Data Public Opinion and Marketsdisincentivizes reporting, a resounding 79% of those surveyed responded that this happens “almost always”, “always” or “from time to time”. At the other end of the hope spectrum, a measly 9% believe that authorities “almost never” discourage you, and an even more optimistic 7% think they “never” do. These results are the litmus test of institutional distrust, especially towards the police and public ministries, which are the first filter (and often the obstacle) in this Kafkaesque labyrinth.
Reporting a crime: the most epic (and discouraging) procedure of your life
If you’re wondering if reporting a crime is easy, the collective response is a resounding “ha.” An overwhelming proportion of citizens believe that it is “never” (13%) or “almost never” (27%) easy to file a complaint. Only 12%, the deluded of the system, answered “always”, and 19% said “almost always”. 26% ventured on the middle term “from time to time”, which in colloquial language means “when the planets align and there is a full moon.” These data paint a picture of institutional inefficiency that not only feeds the famous hidden figure, but also makes us silent accomplices of a broken system.
And if the bureaucracy were not enough, here comes the Mexican classic par excellence: the mordida. In a plot twist that no one saw coming (just kidding, we all saw it coming), 56% of those surveyed consider that the Public Ministry “always” or “almost always” suggests “financial support” in exchange for not shelving an investigation. Another 26% admitted that this happens “from time to time.” In other words, at best, it is a lottery of corruption where the odds are not in your favor. It’s the unofficial tax on justice, a fee for a service that, spoiler alert, you’ll probably never receive.
All this leaves us with a valuable lesson: in the ecosystem of Mexican justice, structural impunity is not a bug, it is a feature. A perverse design where citizen distrust and institutional corruption dance a perfect tango, leaving the black figure as the big winner. It is a vicious cycle as addictive as the drama of soap operas, but with much more real and painful consequences.
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