Briefing

The 50 Most Violent Cities In The World

Amanda Macias, Pamela Engel

Jan 24, 2015, 6:06 AM

REUTERS/Howard YanesA Venezuelan opposition protester next to a barricade uses a slingshot against the national guard in Caracas, February 27, 2004.

There is a brand new ranking of the world’s most violent cities from Mexico’s Citizens’ Council for Public Security and Criminal Justice.

A full o ne-third of global homicides occur in Latin America even though the region has just 8% of the world’s population, according to United Nations data.

Drug trafficking, gang wars, political instability, corruption, and poverty combine to cause the region’s elevated violence.

The council’s ranking includes cities with a population of more than 300,000 and doesn’t count deaths in combat zones or cities with unavailable data, so some dangerous cities might not be represented on the list.

50. Cuernavaca, Mexico, had 25.45 homicides per 100,000 residents.

A police officer stands next to various body parts in black plastic bags in Cuernavaca October 14, 2012.

49. Medellín, Colombia, had 26.91 homicides per 100,000 residents.

Members of the anti-kidnapping unit of the Colombian police train in hostage rescue in Medellin, Colombia.

48. Torreón, Mexico, had 27.81 homicides per 100,000 residents.

Soldiers patrol outside TSM Corona stadium in Torreon September 10, 2011.

47. Cúcuta, Colombia, had 28.43 homicides per 100,000 residents.

A taxi with a bomb is detonated by anti-explosives officers in Santiago near of Cucuta, Norte de Santander province, 400 kms northeast of Bogota August, 11, 2001.

46. Macapá, Brazil, had 28.87 homicides per 100,000 residents.

45. Tijuana, Mexico had 29.90 homicides per 100,000 residents.

Mexican soldiers look as 134 tonnes of marijuana are incinerated at Morelos military base in Tijuana October 20, 2010.

44. Curitiba, Brazil had 31.48 homicides per 100,000 residents.

Detained members of the Landless Rural Workers Movement (MST) are escorted by Brazilian military riot police in the town of Campo Largo, near the city of Curitiba, southern Brazil on Tuesday, May 2, 2000.

43. Chihuahua, Mexico had 33.29 homicides per 100,000 residents.

Chihuahua State officials released a statement Tuesday June 8, demanding a full investigation into the death of the boy who was allegedly shot by a U.S. Border Patrol agent.

42. Belo Horizonte, Brazil had 33.39 homicides per 100,000 residents.

A demonstrator is detained by the police during a protest on the streets of Belo Horizonte June 26, 2013.

41. Victoria, Mexico had 33.91 homicides per 100,000 residents.

A soldier stands guard at the site of a car bomb attack outside broadcaster Televisa in Ciudad Victoria

40. Baltimore, Maryland had 33.92 homicides per 100,000 residents.

Police move in from a parking lot to the Mall in Columbia after reports of a multiple shooting, Saturday Jan. 25, 2014 Howard County, Md.

39. Aracaju, Brazil had 34.19 homicides per 100,000 residents.

A prisoners stand on the roof of the Advogado Antonio Jacinto Filho state prison as military police stand gathered nearby, in Aracaju, Brazil, Monday April 16, 2012.

38. Durban, South Africa had 34.48 homicides per 100,000 residents.

Police hold up shields in South Africa.

37. Porto Alegre, Brazil had 34.65 homicides per 100,000 residents.

Riot policemen stand on a street in front of a torn Brazlian flag during a protest against the 2014 World Cup in Porto Alegre June 12, 2014.

36. Pereira, Colombia had 34.68 homicides per 100,000 residents.

Pedro Pablo Montoya (C), rebel of the FARC known as 'Rojas', is escorted by soldiers after a news conference at a military base in Pereira March 8, 2008.

35. Nelson Mandela Bay, South Africa had 34.89 homicides per 100,000 residents.

South African soldiers march to formation before welcoming the funeral cortege carrying the coffin of former South African President Nelson Mandela to the Union Buildings in the capital Pretoria on December 12, 2013.

34. Nuevo Laredo, Mexico had 34.92 homicides per 100,000 residents.

A man talks to soldiers guarding a crime scene in the municipality of Cienega de Flores, on the outskirts of Monterrey September 21, 2011.

33. Manaus, Brazil had 37.07 homicides per 100,000 residents.

Police evict a group of squatters consisting of Amazon Indians and non-Indian settlers, from a plot of privately-owned forest they have been occupying for three months in Iranduba, near Manaus, September 25, 2013.

32. Palmira, Colombia had 37.66 homicides per 100,000 residents.

A soldier stands guard alongside explosives confiscated by army troops during a raid close Palmira city in Valle del Cauca province March 11, 2010.

31. Obregón, Mexico had 37.71 homicides per 100,000 residents.

Federal policemen arrest men on suspicion of possessing drugs during an anti-narcotics operation in the Alvaro Obregon district in Mexico City May 3, 2007.

30. Campina Grande, Brazil had 37.97 homicides per 100,000 residents.

Brazilian soldiers carrying the FN FAL rifle.

29. Recife, Brazil had 39.05 homicides per 100,000 residents.

Residents carry an injured man after a store was looted during a police strike in Recife, May 15, 2014.

28. New Orleans, Louisiana had 39.61 homicides per 100,000 residents.

Police officers patrol the streets of the University neighbourhood of New Orleans September 8, 2005

27. Juárez, Mexico had 39.94 homicides per 100,000 residents.

Riot police walk through a cloud of smoke from a fire extinguisher during a protest over the 43 missing Ayotzinapa students, near the Benito Juarez International airport in Mexico City November 20, 2014.

26. Kingston, Jamaica had 40.59 homicides per 100,000 residents.

A pick-up truck loaded with Jamaican police patrol a market area near the Tivoli Gardens neighbourhood of Kingston, Jamaica May 26, 2010.

25. Guatemala, Guatemala had 41.90 homicides per 100,000 residents.

A prison guard gestures on the roof of Fraijanes II, a maximum security prison in the township of Fraijanes, outskirts of Guatemala City November 19, 2012.

24. Culiacán, Mexico had 42.17 homicides per 100,000 residents.

Mexican federal policemen prepare to fly to Culiacan from Mexico City's airport May 28, 2008

23. Goiânia, Brazil had 44.82 homicides per 100,000 residents.

Demonstrators burn a Brazilian flag while protesting against the 2014 World Cup in Goiania

22. Detroit, Michigan had 44.87 homicides per 100,000 residents.

Detroit Police officers remove the crime tape from the scene of a brutal murder of a mother and four children, April 1, 2004 in Detroit, Michigan.

21. Barquisimeto, Venezuela had 46.46 homicides per 100,000 residents.

Venezuelan police officers stand guard outside the morgue where the bodies of prisoners killed in a riot were taken in Barquisimeto,Venezuela, Saturday, Jan. 26, 2013.

20. Teresina, Brazil had 49.49 homicides per 100,000 residents.

A protest in Teresina, Brazil.

19. St. Louis, Missouri had 49.93 homicides per 100,000 residents.

A police car burns on the street after a grand jury returned no indictment in the shooting of Michael Brown in Ferguson, Missouri November 24, 2014.

18. Belém, Brazil had 53.06 homicides per 100,000 residents.

Soldiers prepare to travel to different towns ahead of Brazil's presidential election runoff, at the Pratinha neighbourhood in Belem, Brazil, Friday, Oct. 29, 2010.

17. Salvador (and RMS), Brazil had 54.31 homicides per 100,000 residents.

A Brazilian drug gang member nicknamed Poison, 18, poses with a gun atop a hill overlooking a slum in Salvador, Bahia State, April 11, 2013.

16. Cuiabá, Brazil had 56.46 homicides per 100,000 residents.

Brazilian soldiers stand guard near where the South Korean team was attending a training session at the stadium of the Universidade Federal de Mato Grosso in Cuiaba, June 15, 2014.

15. Vitoria, Brazil had 57 homicides per 100,000 residents.

Police stand near Amazon Indians blocking the main entrance to the construction site of the Belo Monte hydroelectric dam in Vitoria do Xingu, near Altamira in Para State.

14. Cape Town, South Africa had 60 homicides per 100,000 residents.

A child runs towards a burning barricade during a strike by farm workers at De Doorns on the N1 highway, linking Cape Town and Johannesburg, in this January 9, 2013 file photo.

13. San Salvador, El Salvador had 61.21 homicides per 100,000 residents.

Salvadoran gang members participate in an event with mediators including a Catholic bishop at Cojutepeque prison, east of San Salvador.

12. Ciudad Guayana, Venezuela had 62.13 homicides per 100,000 residents.

In this May 15, 2013 photo, National Guard soldiers frisk a man at a checkpoint as part of the 'Secure Homeland' initiative in Petare, one of the most dangerous neighborhoods of Caracas, Venezuela.

11. Natal, Brazil had 63.68 homicides per 100,000 residents.

A soldier stands outside at the Maria Lamas Farache-Frasqueirao stadium before the Mexico's national soccer team's training session in Natal, June 14, 2014.

10. São Luís, Brazil had 64.71 homicides per 100,000 residents.

In this April 23, 2012 file photo, the body of Brazilian journalist Decio Sa, center, lies on the ground after being shot at a restaurant and bar in Sao Luis, Maranhao state, Brazil.

9. Cali, Colombia had 65.25 homicides per 100,000 residents.

Colombian special investigators inspect the body of a car bomb victim in a street of Cali city September 1, 2008.

8. Fortaleza, Brazil had 66.55 homicides per 100,000 residents.

Riot police fire at demonstrators as they control access to the Estadio Castelao, where the Confederations Cup semi-final match between Spain and Italy is being played, during a protest in Fortaleza June 27, 2013.

7. Valencia, Venezuela had 71.08 homicides per 100,000 residents.

Battle tanks of the Venezuelan Army take part in a military parade to celebrate the 188th anniversary of the Battle of Carabobo in Valencia, some 180 km (112 miles) west of Caracas June 24, 2009.

6. Maceió, Brazil had 72.91 homicides per 100,000 residents.

Brazil's drug lord Luiz Fernando Costa, also know as 'Fernandinho Beira Mar' (Freddy Seashore), arrives at Federal Police Headquarter in Brasilia March 24, 2006.

5. Distrito Central, Honduras had 77.65 homicides per 100,000 residents.

Members of the military police march during a parade commemorating Independence Day in Tegucigalpa September 15, 2014.

3. Acapulco, Mexico had 104.16 homicides per 100,000 residents.

A soldier walks by the body of a municipal policeman who was gunned down by unidentified assailants in the Pacific resort city of Acapulco, Mexico Wednesday Dec. 1, 2010.

2. Caracas, Venezuela had 115.98 homicides per 100,000 residents.

Opposition demonstrators hold a Venezuelan flag in front of a burning barricade during a protest against President Nicolas Maduro's government in Caracas February 15, 2014.