Mexican mayoral candidate shot dead during live broadcast in Veracruz

A campaign event in the Mexican state of Veracruz turned into a tragic scene of violence on May 11 night as mayoral candidate Yesenia Lara Gutiérrez was fatally shot during a live broadcast of her rally.

The ambush, which also left three others dead and several wounded, has sparked national outrage and intensified concerns over rising political violence in Mexico ahead of the June 1 elections, Caliber.Az reports per foreign media.

The fatal shooting occurred while Lara Gutiérrez, a member of the ruling Morena party, was leading a parade of supporters through the town of Texistepec. A Facebook Live video from the event captured the horrifying moment when the crowd’s cheers were suddenly drowned out by rapid gunfire — with more than 20 shots heard on the footage, which remained accessible on Lara’s official page the following day.

Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum addressed the assassination during her morning press conference on May 12. “We’re coordinating, particularly with the Secretary of Security, and with all the support needed during this electoral period from Veracruz and Durango,” she said, referring to the upcoming June 1 elections in the two states.

The Veracruz Attorney General’s Office confirmed Lara Gutiérrez and three others were killed in the attack, with three additional individuals injured. Authorities have yet to release any information on suspects or motives but pledged to bring those responsible to justice.

“No position or office is worth a person’s life,” Veracruz Governor Rocío Nahle stated on X. “We will find those responsible for this cowardly murder of the Morena candidate and supporters in Texistepec.”

Violence targeting political candidates has escalated dramatically in Mexico in recent years. According to the human rights organization Data Cívica, 661 politically motivated attacks were recorded in 2023 alone. Many of these targeted individuals running for local office.

May 11 attack follows a disturbing trend: in May 2024, a mayoral candidate in Guerrero was killed on camera during a campaign event. Days later, the mayor of Cotija in Michoacán was also gunned down. In October, Chilpancingo’s newly sworn-in mayor was assassinated within a week of taking office.

Authorities in Veracruz have launched a full-scale investigation, as Mexico continues to grapple with political violence in its lead-up to the polls.

By Vafa Guliyeva