Cuernavaca Police in Mexico Demand US$968 Monthly Pay
MEXICO · SECURITY
Key Facts
- —The country Mexico is the United States’ southern neighbour. Cuernavaca is the capital of Morelos, a small state just south of Mexico City.
- —What happened On Monday 12 October, Cuernavaca’s municipal police stopped work and protested over a promised pay rise and missing equipment.
- —The demand Officers want MXN 17,701 a month (about US$968), the decent-wage benchmark of Mexico’s National Public Security System.
- —City response The city says the wage applies from 1 October and a new pay scale goes to the council on Wednesday 14 October.
- —The catch The city treasurer says the full wage applies only to officers with valid certification, and some officers patrol without guns.
- —What it means for you The US State Department rates Morelos Level 3, “Reconsider travel”, because of terrorism and crime.
- —Still open How many officers took part, and whether the city council approves the new pay scale.
Cuernavaca police stopped work and protested on Monday 12 October, demanding a promised raise to MXN 17,701 a month (about US$968). Cuernavaca is the capital of Morelos, a state just south of Mexico City that Washington tells Americans to reconsider visiting.
The city kept the streets patrolled with traffic officers and state police, and promised the new wage from 1 October. The protest came on the same day a gang in Totolapan, also in Morelos, forced the release of a detained suspect.
Why Cuernavaca Police Stopped Work
Cuernavaca police from the municipal preventive force, the city’s patrol officers, halted work on Monday morning, according to La Jornada Morelos. They said a promised pay rise had not been paid and that they lacked the equipment to do their jobs.
Vanguardia reported that officers confronted city officials and complained of faulty patrol cars, missing gear and worn uniforms. They also said they feared punishment for speaking out.
Quadratín Morelos reported that the protesters demanded the promised raise and better working conditions. The National Police Union (Sindicato Nacional de Policías), a group that campaigns for officers’ labour rights, backed the protest.
The MXN 17,701 Wage at the Centre of the Dispute
The figure at stake is MXN 17,701 a month (about US$968), at the 12 October rate of 18.29 pesos per US dollar. The city calls it the decent wage set by the National Public Security System, the federal framework that coordinates police across Mexico.
Rodolfo Basurto, legal adviser to the police union, said the figure comes from the system’s August pay table, according to Quadratín Morelos. He asked the city to receive a committee of officers to negotiate.
What Cuernavaca City Hall Says
In a statement carried by La Jornada Morelos and El Regional, the city pledged to pay MXN 17,701 a month from 1 October. It said a proposed pay scale would go to the city council on Wednesday 14 October.
Vanguardia also reported that councillors would review the raise and that Cuernavaca police would receive it back to October if approved. Pablo Nivardo Aguilera Casados, the city’s security secretary, told La Jornada Morelos the officers’ pay demands were legitimate.
There is a condition attached. City treasurer Carlos Javier Arozarena Salazar said the full wage applies only to officers with valid official certification, Vanguardia reported.
Basurto said officials had spoken of a split between certified and uncertified officers, Quadratín Morelos reported. He asked for a way for uncertified officers to meet the requirements and earn the same.
Officers Without Guns and a Tense Day in Morelos
Aguilera Casados admitted to La Jornada Morelos that some Cuernavaca police patrol without a firearm because they have not passed the required exams. He said the city is working to fix this so their lives are not put at risk.
The union adviser raised the same concern, saying officers go on operations without assigned weapons, according to Quadratín Morelos. Aguilera Casados said security was guaranteed because traffic police and state officers covered the patrols.
The protest fell on a day of violence elsewhere in the state. In Totolapan, a gang held three prosecutor’s staff until a man arrested hours earlier was handed back, as The Rio Times reported.
What It Means for You
The US State Department rates Mexico overall at Level 2, “Exercise increased caution”. It rates Morelos at Level 3, “Reconsider travel due to terrorism, and crime”.
The advisory warns of a risk of violence in the state from terrorist groups, cartels, gangs and criminal organizations. It sets no specific travel limits for US government employees in Morelos.
For visitors, the Cuernavaca police stoppage did not leave the streets unpatrolled, according to the city. Travellers should still follow local news, avoid demonstrations and steer clear of roadblocks.
Earlier violence in the city is covered in Morelos Security Stepped Up After Two Students Are Shot Dead in Cuernavaca. A wider overview is in Mexico Security and Crime Explained.
What Is Not Known
Officials have not said how many Cuernavaca police joined the stoppage or whether all of them have returned to duty. The city has not published how many of its officers hold valid certification.
It is also unclear how many patrol officers lack a firearm, or what uncertified officers will earn. Whether the council approves the pay scale, and in what form, will only be known after its session.
More on this story: Mexico Gang Held 3 Agents in Totolapan to Free Suspect; Mexico's Totolapan Standoff and Why a Suspect Went Free; Mexico's Morelos Travel Safety Guide for American Visitors.
More: Mexico news in English, every day from The Rio Times.
Frequently Asked Questions
Why did Cuernavaca police protest on 12 October?
Cuernavaca police stopped work over a promised pay rise that had not been paid and a lack of equipment. They want MXN 17,701 a month (about US$968).
What has the city of Cuernavaca promised?
The city says Cuernavaca police will earn MXN 17,701 a month from 1 October, and a new pay scale goes to the city council. The treasurer said the full wage applies only to certified officers.
Were Cuernavaca streets left without police?
No, according to the city. Traffic police and state officers covered patrols while talks with the protesting officers continued.
Is Morelos safe for American travellers?
The US State Department rates Morelos Level 3, “Reconsider travel”, because of terrorism and crime. Mexico as a whole is rated Level 2, “Exercise increased caution”.
Sources: La Jornada Morelos, 13 October 2026; El Regional, 12 October 2026; Quadratín Morelos, 12 October 2026; Vanguardia, 12 October 2026; US Department of State, Mexico Travel Advisory (issued 29 May 2026), accessed 13 October 2026.
This article was produced by The Rio Times’ automated newsroom system. How we use AI · Report an error · Editorial responsibility: Matthias Camenzind, Editor-in-Chief