CARACTERIZACIÓN DE LOS HOMICIDIOS EN SANTIAGO DE CALI EN LOS AÑOS 2020-2021

Introduction: Homicide is the most extreme form of violence, with profound social implications and an impact on communities. Cali, known for its history of drug-related violence, maintains high homicide rates, especially in areas of poverty. This problem poses challenges for public health and social development in the region. General Objective: This study aimed to characterize the homicides that occurred in Santiago de Cali during 2020 and 2021, using the variables of death certificates. Methodology: A retrospective descriptive study was carried out using a database of the Ministry of Health of Cali, covering 2,500 records. A statistical analysis was carried out with the Kolmogorov-Smirnov normality test and comparisons using Student's t-test and Mann-Whitney U, complemented with Chi-square for qualitative variables. The data were organized in Microsoft Excel and processed with SPSS. For trend maps by communes, QGIS version 3.28.14 was used. Results: 96% of the homicides were concentrated in the urban area, especially in communes 13, 14 and 15. Most of the victims were single men, between 27 and 59 years old, from stratum 2 and secondary education. Homicides peaked in September 2020 and May 2021. Conclusions: Homicides are related to socioeconomic inequality, lack of education, and limited state intervention. It is recommended to strengthen epidemiological surveillance, develop evidence-based interventions to reduce homicidal violence in Cali, guiding public policies and future research in security and public health.