On Monday, the Undersecretariat for Crime Prevention reported that 97 homicide victims have been recorded since the start of President José Antonio Kast's administration. This figure represents a 2.1% increase compared to the same period last year.
Undersecretary Ana Victoria Quintana reported that between March 11 and April 12, the country recorded two additional victims compared to the same period in 2025. However, she noted that the annual total has actually decreased by 12.8%, dropping from 312 deaths last year to 272 so far this year.
To better track crime trends, the government announced it will begin releasing weekly homicide statistics. This move aims to provide a continuous view of how crime is evolving, though the data will be based on preliminary police figures.
Transparency and methodological concerns
Quintana pointed out that the new weekly reporting system does not replace the official semi-annual reports, which are validated by institutions such as the Medical Legal Service and the Public Prosecutor's Office. The Undersecretary acknowledged that weekly figures may fluctuate as they are based on preliminary data.
“The government's narrative regarding a security crisis is accurate. We are facing a situation that must be addressed immediately,” the official stated.
However, the move is facing criticism regarding its technical rigor. Luis Toledo, director of the Center for Studies on Security and Organized Crime (Cestro) at San Sebastián University, warned that weekly police figures lack the necessary legal validation.
“Using this as a performance metric is politically tempting, but technically fragile,” the former prosecutor noted, pointing out that these incidents have not yet been formally classified as homicides by the Public Prosecutor's Office.
Meanwhile, former Interior Minister Carolina Tohá urged the maintenance of unified methodological standards to prevent misinformation. According to the former official, the increased frequency of reports must ensure there are no conflicting data points between different state agencies.
