World · Latin America · 1 hr ago
Phone extortion accounts for most crime reports from Querétaro businesses
In Querétaro, Mexico, phone extortion makes up about two-thirds of business crime reports, according to Beatriz Hernández Rojas, head of the local employers’ group Coparmex.
She said other reported crimes include theft of goods in transit and theft from shops or warehouses.
Businesses are advised to report extortion calls to 089, where authorities can log numbers and sometimes advise blocking them.
Coparmex has asked the federal government to block phone signals or cellphone use in prisons, saying some reported numbers have been identified there.
The 2026 National Victimization Survey recorded 3,875 crimes per 10,000 businesses in Querétaro, the country’s second-highest rate, up 11.9% from 2023.
The local chamber of commerce president said business growth and a culture of reporting may affect the figures, and said local businesses do not face extortion.
Coparmex is also calling for specialized local units and stronger prison rules to help reduce extortion.
Phone extortion accounts for about two-thirds of crime reports made by members of business organizations in Querétaro, according to the state head of Coparmex.
Beatriz Hernández Rojas said businesses are advised to report calls to 089 and can receive help identifying and blocking numbers.
She said Coparmex has asked the federal government to block mobile phone signals in prisons, where she said many of the numbers have been identified.
René Loya Poletti, head of the Querétaro Chamber of Commerce, said local businesses do not face extortion and argued that crime figures should be assessed alongside business growth.
Querétaro recorded 3,875 crimes per 10,000 economic units, the country’s second-highest rate, and the rate rose 11.9% from 2023 to 2025.
- Who
- Querétaro business organizations, including Coparmex and the Chamber of Commerce. Their leaders are Beatriz Hernández Rojas and René Loya Poletti.
- What
- Phone extortion makes up about two-thirds of crime reports from business organization members, according to Hernández. Loya disputed that local businesses face extortion.
- When
- The article was published on November 11, 2026. The cited crime rate rose between 2023 and 2025.
- Where
- Querétaro, Mexico.
- Why
- Hernández said many numbers used in extortion calls have been identified in prisons. She said blocking prison phone signals could reduce extortion.
Beatriz Hernández Rojas, head of Coparmex Querétaro
René Loya Poletti, head of the Querétaro Chamber of Commerce
Extent of extortion
Beatriz Hernández Rojas, head of Coparmex Querétaro
Hernández said phone extortion accounts for about two-thirds of crime reports made by members of business organizations.
René Loya Poletti, head of the Querétaro Chamber of Commerce
Loya said local businesses do not face extortion.
How to interpret crime figures
Beatriz Hernández Rojas, head of Coparmex Querétaro
Hernández described phone extortion as a frequently reported crime among business organizations.
René Loya Poletti, head of the Querétaro Chamber of Commerce
Loya said crime figures should be considered in relation to the growth in the number of businesses and argued that the rate relative to all businesses is among the country’s lowest.
Querétaro’s crime prevalence rate rose 11.9%.
Coparmex presented its national Extortion Index and called for measures including prison signal blockers and local specialist units.
El Economista MX published the report on crime reports from Querétaro businesses.
- Share of reports
- About two-thirds attributed to phone extortion by the Coparmex Querétaro president
- Reporting number
- 089
- Crime prevalence rate
- 3,875 per 10,000 economic units
- National ranking
- Second-highest crime prevalence rate
- Rate change
- Up 11.9% from 2023 to 2025
- Index
- Coparmex Extortion Index presented in August 2026
1 source
What people are saying
What is done in these cases is to remind people of the protocol to call 089 to make a report.
We have asked the federal government to use tools that can also inhibit signals from prisons, because many of these numbers have been identified inside prisons across the country.
If we look at real percentages, relative to the total number of businesses, I am sure we are among the lowest figures for business crime.