In a tragic incident underscoring the escalating violence ahead of Mexico’s upcoming elections, Alfredo Cabrera, a mayoral candidate, was shot dead during a campaign rally in Guerrero’s Coyuca de Benitez. Cabrera’s murder is the latest in a series of attacks on political figures leading up to the June 2 elections.
The attack occurred on Wednesday when an assailant approached Cabrera at the event and shot him multiple times at close range, as captured in a video circulated by local media. The perpetrator was reportedly killed at the scene, according to the state prosecutor’s office.
Cabrera’s death adds to a grim tally of fatalities involving political candidates. The Mexican government reported that at least 22 individuals running for local office have been murdered since September. This week alone, a mayoral candidate in Morelos was killed, and another was wounded in Jalisco.
Cabrera was part of an opposition coalition supporting Xochitl Galvez, a center-right senator and businesswoman with Indigenous roots, who is currently second in the presidential polls.
Guerrero Governor Evelyn Salgado condemned the “cowardly” murder on social media, urging the state prosecutor’s office to ensure “the full weight of the law” is applied to those responsible.
Violence against political figures in Mexico often stems from drug cartels’ attempts to control local governments and police forces. President Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador has acknowledged that cartels frequently try to influence who becomes mayor, either by backing their own candidates or by eliminating rivals.
“They make an agreement and say, ‘this person is going to be mayor; we don’t want anyone else to register to run,’ and anybody who does, well, they know [what to expect],” Lopez Obrador said in April.
In response to the recent surge in violence, the government has provided bodyguards for about 250 candidates, prioritizing those running for municipal positions, who are at the highest risk. The Institutional Revolutionary Party (PRI), a member of the opposition coalition, has criticized the government’s efforts, accusing it of failing to ensure candidate safety.
To bolster security during Sunday’s elections, approximately 27,000 soldiers and National Guard members will be deployed nationwide.
