The recent assassination of a newly inaugurated mayor in Mexico has sent ripples of shock and fear throughout the nation. This marks the second high-profile killing in Guerrero’s capital within a week. Alejandro Arcos, the 43-year-old mayor of Chilpancingo, was found brutally murdered in his pickup truck on Sunday night. The state prosecutors’ office has confirmed the horrifying discovery and is currently conducting an investigation into the incident.
Arcos had only been in office for six days at the time of his death. On the day he was killed, he had been touring neighborhoods in Chilpancingo that had been ravaged by Hurricane John. His untimely death has sparked a wave of anger and sorrow across Guerrero. Governor Evelyn Salgado expressed her condolences and outrage in a statement shared on social media.
Chilpancingo, a city with a population of approximately 280,000, is still reeling from the recent murder of Francisco Tapia, a newly appointed government secretary who was shot and killed last week. Senator Alejandro Moreno paid tribute to both officials, praising them as “young and honest” individuals committed to the advancement of their community.
Guerrero has earned a grim reputation as one of the most dangerous states for local politicians and journalists. In the run-up to Mexico’s June elections, at least six candidates for various public offices were killed in the state. Chilpancingo has been a hotbed of violent crime for years, primarily due to ongoing conflicts between two rival drug gangs, the Ardillos and the Tlacos.
The city’s former mayor, Norma Otilia Hernández, was caught up in a scandal after a video allegedly showing her in a meeting with leaders of these gangs at a restaurant surfaced. This controversy led to her expulsion from her party, opening the door for Arcos to run for office.
In July 2023, federal officials reported that a protest in Chilpancingo was orchestrated by the Ardillos gang to secure the release of two of its leaders who had been arrested on drug and weapons charges. The protest turned into a two-day standoff, with protesters blocking traffic on the highway between Mexico City and Acapulco, clashing with security forces, and even commandeering a police armored truck to storm the state legislature building. The protesters also kidnapped 10 members of the state police and National Guard, along with three state and federal officials. The hostages were eventually released in exchange for commitments to invest in public works projects.