Brazil records lowest homicide rate since 2012

Brazil registered its lowest number of intentional violent deaths in 2025 since data collection began in 2012, with 40,775 fatalities. This figure marks an 8.2% reduction compared to 2024, consolidating a downward trend in homicides that has been ongoing since 2021.

The annual report by the Brazilian Public Security Forum highlights that the country has now exceeded its official homicide reduction targets by two years. However, the report also sounds a note of caution, pointing to persistent challenges, including high rates of police killings and ongoing violence against women.

The homicide rate in Brazil fell to 19.1 per 100,000 inhabitants in 2025, a significant decrease from the 2017 peak of 31.2. This positive trend was observed in 20 of the country's 27 states. Conversely, Rio Grande do Norte, Rondônia, Acre, Roraima, the Federal District, Mato Grosso do Sul, and Rio de Janeiro experienced an increase in violent deaths.

The northern and northeastern regions, often poorer and increasingly influenced by organized crime and drug trafficking routes, continue to be the most violent areas. The report notes that the Amazon region's porous borders and the northeastern coast have become key corridors for international drug trafficking. Meanwhile, police interventions resulted in 6,602 deaths in 2025, an increase of 5.4% from the previous year, averaging 18 deaths per day. Feminicides also saw a slight rise, with 1,571 cases recorded, a 4% increase from 2024, with perpetrators being men in 96.4% of instances.