Outgoing Mexican President Andrés Manuel López Obrador has expressed his condolences to the family of a mayoral candidate who was tragically killed shortly after launching her campaign.
This incident is part of a series of violent attacks against political candidates leading up to Mexico’s general elections on June 2.
During his daily news conference, López Obrador described these events as deeply regrettable, emphasizing that these individuals are fighting for democracy and putting themselves at risk.
His remarks were made in response to the death of Bertha Gisela Gaytán, a candidate representing the left-wing party Morena, which he founded. She was running for mayor of Celaya, northwest of Mexico City.
On the first day of her campaign, Gaytán rallied with supporters in the streets of San Miguel Octopan, a town just outside of Celaya.
A video from the shooting shows a group of people chanting and waving flags in support of Morena when gunshots suddenly rang out, resulting in multiple injuries and the tragic death of city council candidate Adrián Guerrero.
At least 15 political candidates have been killed since January, according to the Associated Press, with threats primarily stemming from organized crime and drug cartels that exert influence over the Mexican political system through intimidation and corruption.
While police have yet to identify suspects or make arrests in the shooting, the governor of Guanajuato, where the incident occurred, has pledged to seek justice for the killings.
“The cowardly attack that took the life of candidate Bertha Gisela Gaytán in Celaya will not go unpunished,” Governor Diego Rodríguez Vallejo wrote.
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