Mexican mayoral candidate shot dead at rally

A candidate for mayor in the city of Coyuca de Benitez in Mexico was shot dead during a campaign rally, said the governor of the state of Guerrp.

The attack occurred just days before Mexico’s parliamentary elections and follows a series of election-related attacks.

Mayoral candidate Alfredo Cabera was shot multiple times by an assailant who approached him from behind as he greeted his supporters. The incident was filmed by a supporter attending the rally and shows the moments leading up to Cabera’s tragic death.

Another video circulating on social media shows the scene after the attack, with both Cabera and the attacker lying dead after the attacker was also shot dead by security forces.

The graphic video was posted online and went viral on social media. You can find it here.

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In a post on X, Guerrero Governor Evelyn Salgado condemned the “cowardly” act and called on the state prosecutor’s office to apply “the full force of the law against the person or persons responsible.”

The attack follows two recent assassination attempts on mayoral candidates in the Central American states of Morelos and Jalisco, in which one candidate was killed and another injured.

Mexican authorities said 23 candidates in this year’s election had already been killed since September 22, 2023.

Outgoing President Andrés Manuel López Obrador has deployed more than 27,000 soldiers and National Guard members to provide security during the elections, but the troop mobilization has not put an end to election-related crime in Mexico.

This weekend, Mexicans will not only elect a new president, but also members of Congress, several state governors and around 20,000 local officials.

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