### Broken Promises: Women’s Safety under Marina Ávila’s Government
Despite the promises to protect women and children, the government led by Marina Ávila Olmeda has fallen short. The year 2024 has seen 234 women murdered in Baja California, with 856 reported cases of sexual abuse over the three-year term.
In July 2024, students from the Autonomous University of Baja California (UABC) condemned the government for failing to protect Paola Andrea Bañuelos Flores, who was violently murdered. A taxi driver has since been arrested in Mexicali for her murder. However, such cases rarely see justice, with the Baja California State Prosecutor, María Elena Andrade, only classifying a few violent female deaths as feminicides.
Official statistics for 2024 report 26 feminicides: 14 in Tijuana, 4 in Mexicali, 2 in Rosarito, and 6 in Ensenada. High-ranking officials frequently pledge protection and justice, with slogans like “Children should not be harmed” and “Not one more woman,” yet the numbers speak for themselves.
In three years, there have been 856 reported cases of child sexual abuse. Homicides of women average 26 per month, keeping Baja California among the top states for femicide in Mexico, with Tijuana ranking high nationally for female homicides.
Marina del Pilar Ávila Olmeda announced enhancements under the Gender Alert program, with a 54% progress rate and a 350% increase in budget. Despite these measures, significant disparity remains between investments and tangible results. Only 61 aggressors have been sentenced out of 1,400 cases followed by the judicial system.
Efforts to support minors include fortifying the adoption system and improving rehabilitation services for disabled children. Despite these actions, the state saw an 80% increase in teenagers arrested as hired killers in Tijuana compared to the previous year, with minors involved in homicides, weapon possession, and other serious crimes. This underscores the ongoing recruitment of teenagers by drug cartels, with many of the detained children belonging to criminal cells as adults.
“When arrested, they are often disguised as hitmen, wearing bulletproof vests and carrying long guns,” a local investigator shared. Furthermore, many minors are coerced into criminal activities, their families dragged into the cycle of violence. A lack of effective monitoring of released minors perpetuates this grim situation.
Efforts to tackle minor addictions through the State Mental Health and Addiction Observatory are only beginning. The need for comprehensive drug use data and community centers to address this issue remains unfulfilled.
Promises and budget increases alone cannot rebuild lost trust. The results in Baja California must align with the increased funds if any real change is to happen.
### Secondary Article: Rising Crime among Minors in Baja California
Following the tragic killing of Paola Andrea Bañuelos Flores, the alarming recruitment and involvement of minors in criminal activities in Baja California have come under the spotlight. A recent statement highlighted the high number of teenagers being pulled into violent gang activities in Tijuana and other parts of the state.
Officials reported a shockingly high percentage of minors detained for serious crimes such as homicide and possession of weapons. Despite several initiatives and policies put in place, the current systems fail to protect these vulnerable groups from falling into the hands of criminal organizations.
New reforms and a focus on community-based programs are urgently needed. These should include comprehensive measures to monitor and support at-risk youth, effectively preventing them from being lured into the dangerous world of crime. The call for action is not just about policies on paper but about real, concrete steps that ensure the safety and future of Baja California’s younger generations.