Baja California Sur’s Attorney General Office (PGJE, Procuraduría General de Justicia del Estado) resolved 724 criminal cases through mediation in the first three months of 2026, returning nearly 482.75 million pesos (approximately $24.1 million USD) to crime victims across the state.
The figures were released by the PGJE’s Sub-Prosecutor for Alternative Justice, which oversees the mediation program. Agreements reached through the program carry the same legal weight as a court sentence, making them binding on all parties.
Top Five Offenses Resolved Through Mediation
The five most common offenses settled through the program were fraud, child support violations, traffic damage, simple assault, and threats. Fraud and traffic damage cases are particularly relevant in a state with a large foreign resident population and heavy tourist traffic in Los Cabos and La Paz.
The mediation process allows both parties to reach a compensation agreement without going through a full criminal trial. This avoids months or years of litigation and eliminates the need for expensive private attorneys, since the program is free to access at PGJE offices.
A Sharp Increase Over Previous Years
The Q1 2026 total of 482.75 million pesos represents a dramatic increase in the program’s output. For comparison, the BCS state government reported in 2021 that its alternative justice mechanisms recovered 142 million pesos for victims over the entire year. The first quarter of 2026 alone has already more than tripled that annual figure.
The program operates under Mexico’s National Law on Alternative Dispute Resolution in Criminal Matters, which establishes mediation, conciliation, and restorative justice conferences as valid paths to resolve eligible offenses. Cases involving serious violent crimes or organized crime are not eligible.
How the Program Works
Victims or accused parties can request mediation through the PGJE’s Alternative Justice offices in La Paz and Los Cabos. A trained mediator facilitates negotiations between the two sides. If they reach an agreement on restitution or reparations, the deal is formalized and registered with the same enforceability as a judicial ruling.
The process typically takes days or weeks rather than the months required for a criminal case to move through BCS courts. There is no cost to either party for the mediation service itself.
This story was first reported by Colectivo Pericú.