The state of Ceará has achieved a significant milestone in public safety, reporting a dramatic 37.2% decrease in violent deaths during the first four months of 2026 compared to the same period last year. This substantial decline was announced by the state's Secretaria da Segurança Pública e Defesa Social (SSPDS), based on data from the Superintendência de Pesquisa e Estratégia de Segurança Pública (Supesp).
The statistics reveal a clear downward trend in lethal violence. From January to April 2026, the state recorded 585 deaths categorized as Crimes Violentos Letais Intencionais (CVLIs). This category includes homicides, femicides, bodily injuries resulting in death, and robbery-murders. In stark contrast, the same four-month window in 2025 saw 931 such incidents, meaning there were 346 fewer violent deaths this year.
The month of April 2026 stood out as particularly historic. Officials declared it the least violent month in the entire historical series for Ceará, a record that dates back to 2009. The improvement was even more pronounced on a monthly basis, with a 44.1% reduction in violent deaths compared to April 2025. The state recorded 113 deaths in April 2026, a sharp drop from the 202 deaths logged in the same month the previous year.
This positive trajectory was not an isolated event. The data indicates that March 2026 had already set a new benchmark for safety, presenting the largest reduction in violent deaths for that month. The consecutive improvements suggest a sustained effort and effective strategies in combating violent crime across the state.
The reduction in these CVLIs is a key metric for measuring public safety progress. By focusing on this specific set of intentional, lethal violent crimes, authorities can track the effectiveness of their interventions against the most severe forms of violence that impact communities.
For the people of Ceará, these numbers represent more than just statistics; they point to a potential shift in the security landscape. The consistent decline over the first third of the year offers a hopeful outlook for continued safety improvements throughout 2026.
Based on reporting from g1.