Reports from southern Mexico on Wednesday revealed the tragic death of a mayoral candidate in the violence-plagued city of Chilapa, Guerrero. Tomás Morales, a potential candidate for mayor, was fatally shot outside his home, becoming one of the several local politicians who have been murdered this year leading up to the national elections on June 2.
Although the ruling Morena party had not officially designated Morales as a candidate, he was widely viewed as a strong contender in the upcoming race.
State prosecutors stated that Morales was gunned down by an assailant late Tuesday in Chilapa, a city that has been plagued by violent clashes between drug cartels for over a decade.
Tragically, this incident follows the recent killing of Alfredo González, another mayoral candidate in Atoyac, Guerrero, who was also fatally shot.
In a separate but equally disturbing event, two mayoral candidates in Maravatío, Michoacán, were gunned down within hours of each other in late February. One candidate was affiliated with the Morena party, while the other belonged to the National Action Party. This series of violent attacks underscores the dangers faced by politicians in the region.
These tragic incidents highlight the ongoing challenges of political violence in Mexico, particularly in the lead-up to the upcoming elections.
On Feb. 10, a tragic incident occurred where a man running for Congress for the Morena party in the sprawling Mexico City suburb of Ecatepec was fatally shot in the street alongside his brother. Allegedly, he had received threats from a local union.
Another unfortunate event took place a month earlier, on Jan. 5, when the local leader of the Institutional Revolutionary Party and candidate for mayor of Suchiate, Chiapas, was killed. On the same day, in the northwestern state of Colima, a mayoral candidate of the Citizen Movement party in Armeria was shot by gunmen while in his vehicle.
Mexico's drug cartels have often targeted mayors and mayoral candidates for assassination, aiming to control local police forces or extort money from municipal governments.
The incident involving Morales occurred in Guerrero, known as one of the most violent and impoverished states in the country. The region has witnessed several clashes between criminal groups involved in drug trafficking, production, kidnapping, and extortion.
Recently, investigators in Guerrero confirmed the disturbing contents of a drug cartel video showing gunmen brutally attacking their enemies. Additionally, in January, a cartel assault in Guerrero resulted in the death of at least six individuals and injuries to 13 others.
Guerrero is one of six states in Mexico that the U.S. State Department advises Americans to avoid entirely, citing high levels of crime and violence. The State Department notes that "Armed groups operate independently of the government in many areas of Guerrero" in its travel advisory.
Since the conclusion of 2006, Mexico has documented over 420,000 homicides and numerous individuals who have gone missing. This surge in violence began when former president Felipe Calderon initiated a contentious military operation aimed at combating drug trafficking.
