In a shocking turn of events, a candidate running for mayor in Mexico was fatally shot during a live broadcast, marking the second political assassination in the state as the June 1 elections approach. Yesenia Lara Gutiérrez, a representative of the ruling Morena party, was killed while engaging with her supporters in Texistepec, a small town in the Gulf coast state of Veracruz.
The horrifying incident was captured on a Facebook live stream, where Gutiérrez was seen surrounded by a crowd of supporters in the town of 20,000 before the broadcast was abruptly interrupted by gunfire. The video, which remained on Gutiérrez’s Facebook page until the following day, recorded an estimated 20 gunshots.
The tragic event also resulted in the deaths of Gutiérrez’s daughter and two others, while three more were injured, as reported by Veracruz Governor Rocío Nahle García, who is also a member of the Morena party. The reason behind the attack remains unknown, as confirmed by Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum during a news conference on Monday.
Federal assistance, including collaboration with the state attorney general’s office, is being offered to Veracruz state officials, Sheinbaum added. She highlighted the cooperation with the Secretary of Security and the support provided 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, promising justice for the victims’ families.
Political violence is unfortunately a common occurrence 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.