In a shocking incident, a mayoral candidate in Mexico was killed during a live broadcast, marking the second political assassination in the state ahead of the June 1 elections. Yesenia Lara Gutiérrez, a member of the ruling Morena party, was fatally shot while interacting with supporters in the small town of Texistepec in the Gulf coast state of Veracruz.
A Facebook live stream captured the horrifying moment when Gutiérrez, surrounded by a crowd of supporters in the town of 20,000, was suddenly interrupted by gunfire. The video, which remained on Gutiérrez’s Facebook page until the next day, recorded approximately 20 gunshots.
The tragic incident also claimed the lives of Gutiérrez’s daughter and two others, while three more were injured, according to Veracruz Governor Rocío Nahle García, also a member of the Morena party. The motive behind the attack remains unclear, as stated by Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum during a news conference on Monday.
Federal assistance, including liaison with the state attorney general’s office, is being provided to Veracruz state officials, Sheinbaum added. She emphasized the coordination with the Secretary of Security and the support extended to Veracruz and Durango during this electoral period.
In a separate incident on Monday, two federal agents were killed in the coastal city of Boca del Rio, another part of Veracruz. “No [elected] position is worth dying for,” Nahle stated at a press conference, pledging justice for the victims’ families.
Political violence is unfortunately not uncommon in Mexico during election periods. Data Cívica, a human rights organization, reported a record 661 attacks on individuals and facilities related to politics last year. A mayoral candidate was killed during a campaign event in the southern state of Guerrero last May. Shortly after, the mayor of Cotija in Michoacán state was killed while returning home from a gym. The mayor of Guerrero’s capital, Chilpancingo, was decapitated just days after assuming office last October. Less than two weeks ago, Germán Anuar Valencia, another member of the ruling party, was shot dead in Veracruz at his campaign headquarters in the town of Coxquihui.