Mexico: Mayoral candidate, three others shot dead in Veracruz during campaign march

VERACRUZ(Mexico): A mayoral candidate and three other people were shot dead in Mexico’s Veracruz during the campaign march. The horror of the day was captured during a Facebook live stream, which showed Yesenia Lara Gutierrez greeting people as she paraded through the streets of Texistepec on Sunday night while she was surrounded by her supporters, CNN reported.

As she paraded through the streets, the people were seen smiling and chanting before gunfire suddenly rang out off camera. In the video available on Lara’s Facebook page, about 20 gunshots were heard in the video.

Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum confirmed the attack while addressing a press conference on Monday and said she had no information regarding the motive behind the attack. She added that her government in coordination with Veracruz state officials and offered federal support if required, including contact with the state attorney general’s office.

She said, “We’re coordinating, particularly with the Secretary of Security, and with all the support needed during this electoral period from Veracruz and Durango,” referring to the upcoming June 1 elections in the two states.

According to the state attorney general’s office, the mayoral candidate, a member of Sheinbaum’s ruling Morena party, was among four people killed in the shooting. Another three people were injured in the shooting incident, CNN reported.

Authorities have been conducting investigation into the matter and have vowed justice. In a post shared on X, Veracruz Governor Rocio Nahle stated, “No position or office is worth a person’s life. We will find those responsible for this cowardly murder of the Morena candidate and supporters in Texistepec; four people died and three were injured. I have instructed @FGE_Veracruz and security not to stop until they find them.”
https://x.com/rocionahle/status/1921803329199296666
Political candidates face attacks during election cycles in Mexico. In 2024, Mexico saw a record number of victims from political-criminal violence, with Data Civica, a human rights organization, reporting 661 attacks on people and facilities. Many of the victims were either holding municipal-level positions or were running for it.

In May last year, a mayoral candidate was killed in shooting during a campaign stop in Guerrero, CNN reported. The shooting incident was captured on video. Days later, Cotija mayor in Michoacan state was shot dead as she was heading home from the gym with her bodyguard. In October, Chilpancingo’s mayor was killed less than a week after assuming office. (ANI)