Common crime and the violence carried out by drug‑related criminal gangs in many Latin American cities skyrocketed after the pandemic to levels never imagined. My city is no exception, sadly reaching the top 10 most violent cities in the world where there is no war, according to statistics. The problem of criminality is extremely difficult to solve in the short term. Children born at the beginning of the millennium were not properly cared for by society and were recruited by criminal groups — the same groups that now terrorize our cities. To solve this problem, major social and cultural transformations must take place, especially in the recovery of childhood and adolescence, so that in 10 or 15 years this issue does not continue to escalate. These transformations are slow; results are not seen immediately. But if we do not reverse the mistake we made 20 years ago, and if we do not recover this new generation of children, we cannot expect the intensity of the problem to decrease in the coming years.

However, many things can be done here and now. Many tough, orthodox, and authoritarian measures can be implemented to slow the advance of this social problem. Among them, one that I consider fundamental is the prohibition of two people riding on a motorcycle. In our cities, the proliferation of motorcycles has increased at the same pace as poverty and crime. It is a cheap, versatile vehicle, and practically any indigent person with less than $500 can buy one. It is used by delivery workers, laborers, and even families. It is not unusual in our cities to see three or four people on a motorcycle, without helmets, carrying ridiculous loads in their hands — like a television or even small children — exposing their lives at any moment. Many people use this means of transportation as an alternative to the deficient public transit system; many are honest workers who simply want to bring bread to their tables. But it is also true that these vehicles are the ones most used by criminals to commit their crimes. There are always two or even three criminals on a motorcycle. One drives, and the others carry out the attack — always armed and dangerous.

If a prohibition were implemented so that, under no circumstances, two people could ride on a motorcycle at any time of day, I believe it would instantly improve the city’s crime rates. It is not a popular measure, which is why no politician dares to implement it. Nor is it the solution to the problem. It would affect many honest families who use this means to get to work, but to the vast majority of us, it seems obvious that this measure is necessary.