Several politicians have been killed in Mexico in recent weeks. Now the murder of two local politicians is causing the number to rise again ahead of national elections in June.
In Mexico, two local politicians were killed again a few weeks before the elections. The mayor of the city of Mante, Noé Ramos, was stabbed by a man at a campaign rally on Friday, prosecutors in the northwestern state of Tamaulipas said.
The attacker approached as Ramos was speaking to citizens in the city, local media reported. The politician from the bourgeois National Action Party (PAN) began his campaign for re-election as mayor of the city just a few days ago.
According to the authorities, the second politician killed was local politician Alberto Antonio García. He ran for mayor of the town of San José Independencia in the southern state of Oaxaca.
Garcia and his wife, Agar Cancinco, current mayor of the municipality, were reported missing on Wednesday, according to the prosecutor’s office. Cancino was therefore found alive on an island. Garcia was found dead.
More protection for candidates required
Killings and kidnappings are commonplace in Mexico. The violence is often directed against elected officials or candidates for political office. Ramos’ party condemned the latest attack and called for more protection for candidates in the current election campaign.
According to the Mexican think tank Laboratorio Electoral, around 30 politicians have been murdered since June 2023. The motives behind the murders mostly remain unknown. The country’s powerful drug cartels are often behind the attacks. However, knife attacks are unusual for the gangs. According to official figures, almost 450,000 people have fallen victim to violence in Mexico since 2006.
Probably Ms. New Head of State
Mexico’s presidential and legislative elections will take place on June 2nd. In addition, around 21,000 offices will be reassigned at local and regional levels.
The presidential election will certainly see a woman emerge as head of state for the first time, as the two major party alliances are each running with top candidates. The candidate of the left-wing government alliance around the Morena party, Claudia Sheinbaum, is leading in the polls. Former PAN senator Xóchitl Gálvez is running for the opposition’s three-party alliance.