MEXICO CITY (AP) — Mexico’s homicide rate remained at historically high levels of 29 killings per 100,000 inhabitants, according to the National Statistics Institute.

By comparison, there were about 5 murders per 100,000 people in the United States in 2018, the latest year for which comparable data is available.

Mexico saw 36,476 homicides in 2019, only a tiny decline from the 36,685 registered in 2018. The numbers released by the statistics institute are generally higher than monthly figures given by prosecutors, in part because the institute reviews death certificates and other sources of information nationwide.

However, murders appear to be on the rise again in 2020. In the first eight months of the year, there have been 24,116 homicides in Mexico, an increase of about 1.5% over the 23,760 in the same period of 2019.