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Aspiring Mayor Killed In Spate Of Violence Ahead Of Mexico Vote
By AFP - Agence France Presse
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A woman mayoral candidate was gunned down on Monday while campaigning in central Mexico, amid a wave of violence against local politicians ahead of June 2 elections, her party said.
The murder of Gisela Gaytan, who was running for mayor in the city of Celay, adds to that of almost 30 politicians running for office in the past nine months, according to a report by the Laboratorio Electoral think tank.
"They have just murdered our candidate from Celaya... This is something that has us angry, shocked, in mourning. We are going to suspend campaign activities," said Alma Alcaraz, another candidate with the ruling Morena party.
Gaytan, 38, was killed while preparing for an electoral rally, and had said earlier on Monday at a press conference that she had asked for protection for her campaign.
The governor of the state of Guanajuato, where the killing took place, Diego Sinhue, wrote on X that the attack would "not go unpunished."
Three other people were injured in the shooting, according to the local prosecutor's office.
The plague of violence linked to organized crime in Mexico is impacting politicians from a range of parties, especially those occupying or aspiring to municipal or state positions.
On Saturday, the mayor of Michoacan's Churumuco municipality, Guillermo Torres, was shot dead at a restaurant.
Also in March, mayoral candidates from the states of Puebla (center), Jalisco (west) and Guerrero (south) were killed.
Between June 4, 2023, and March 26 this year, 50 people have been murdered in "episodes of electoral violence," 26 of them aiming for popular seats, according to a report by the Laboratorio Electoral thinktank.
Aspiring Mayor Killed In Spate Of Violence Ahead Of Mexico Vote
A woman mayoral candidate was gunned down on Monday while campaigning in central Mexico, amid a wave of violence against local politicians ahead of June 2 elections, her party said.
