Mexican mayor assassinated days after taking office

Date:

Share post:


MEXICO CITY (Reuters) – The mayor of the capital of Mexico’s violence-plagued state of Guerrero was killed on Sunday less than a week after he took office, the state’s governor confirmed.

Alejandro Arcos was killed just six days after he took office as mayor of the city of Chilpancingo, a city of around 280,000 people in southwestern Mexico.

“His loss mourns the entire Guerrero society and fills us with indignation,” Guerrero Governor Evelyn Salgado said in a statement shared on social media.

Guerrero’s state attorney general’s office also said it was investigating his murder.

The official confirmation came after photos circulated on messaging app WhatsApp depicting a severed head on top of a pick-up truck, appearing to be that of Arcos. Reuters could not independently verify the photos’ authenticity.

Arcos’ death comes just three days after the new city government’s secretary, Francisco Tapia, was shot to death.

“They were young and honest officials who sought progress for their community,” Senator Alejandro Moreno wrote on social media.

Moreno, who is the head of Mexico’s PRI political party, called on the federal attorney general’s office to lead the investigation into Arcos and Tapia’s murders, given “the situation of ungovernability in Guerrero.”

Guerrero has become one of the deadliest states for aspiring and elected public officials, as well as for journalists.

At least six candidates for public office were killed in the state in the run-up to Mexico’s June 2 elections.

Arcos’ social media posts show the mayor in recent days had been supervising disaster relief efforts following the impact of Hurricane John last month, which caused severe flooding in beach resort Acapulco and surrounding towns.

(Reporting by Brendan O’Boyle and Aida Pelaez Fernandez; Writing by Brendan O’Boyle; Editing by Michael Perry)



Source link

Alexandra Williams
Alexandra Williams
Alexandra Williams is a writer and editor. Angeles. She writes about politics, art, and culture for LinkDaddy News.

Recent posts

Related articles

New details emerge in deadly Catalina Island plane crash off the Southern California coast

A new report from federal officials has revealed what happened leading up to a plane crash on...

US town on alert after 43 monkeys escape research facility

More than 40 monkeys were on the loose Thursday in a small US town after escaping a...

'It was surreal.' Dozens injured in tour bus crash on I-490 in Rochester. What we know now

Twenty-eight people were injured - one critically - in a crash involving an overturned tour bus on...

James Webb Space Telescope: Breathtaking 'Face-On' Views Of 19 Spiral Galaxies

The James Webb Space Telescope has captured 19 spiral galaxies "face-on" in near- and mid-infrared. The images...

Young Thug Praises His Attorney While Encouraging Law Students Following Jail Release

Young Thug coming home is one of the most feel-good moments of 2024, and it wouldn’t have...

She helped thousands get COVID-19 shots. Now she's on the hook for $600K

A Kingston, Ont., doctor celebrated for organizing drive-thru vaccination clinics that helped thousands get shots at the height of...

Mexico authorities find 11 bodies in violent Guerrero state, investigating as homicides

MEXICO CITY (Reuters) - Authorities in Guerrero, one of Mexico's most violent states, said Thursday they found...

South Africa closes its border again with Mozambique, where post-election violence worsens

JOHANNESBURG (AP) — South Africa closed its border with Mozambique shortly after opening it on Thursday as...