Mexico election: Mayor killed after first woman elected leader

Gunmen have killed the feminine mayor of a city in Mexico simply hours after the nation celebrated the election of Claudia Sheinbaum because the nation’s first lady president.

Yolanda Sánchez was shot within the city of Cotija, which she had ruled since September 2021.

She was the primary lady to be elected to the put up.

Widespread violence in opposition to politicians has overshadowed Mexico’s normal election, which noticed two ladies run for the presidency.

Yolanda Sánchez was ambushed by gunmen within the centre of Cotija, Michoacán, on Monday.

Native media say she was shot 19 occasions and died in hospital shortly after the assault. Her bodyguard was additionally killed within the gun battle.

No arrests have been made to this point in reference to the assault however it’s extensively thought that the gunmen belonged to an organised crime group.

Ms Sánchez had reported receiving dying threats after taking on workplace in September 2021.

She was held for 3 days by armed males who had seized her at gunpoint throughout a go to to the neighbouring state of Jalisco in 2023. The politician stated that her kidnappers had made “calls for” and inflicted “psychological terror” earlier than releasing her.

Whereas she stated that she didn’t know what legal group they belonged to, native newspapers stated the almost definitely culprits the place the Jalisco New Technology cartel (CJNG).

The CJNG engages in drug trafficking as well as kidnapping for ransom and extortion.

It is usually notorious for focusing on public officers who refuse to do its bidding.

Ms Sánchez had stated that the boys who had threatened her after she had taken workplace had demanded that she hand the safety of the city over to state law enforcement officials within the pay of organised crime teams.

She refused and requested for the army to strengthen the city. The mayor was additionally supplied with armed bodyguards after the incident.

Her homicide on Monday got here lower than a day after a normal election that was overshadowed by the murder of local candidates.

Greater than 20 folks working for workplace have been killed since September in line with official figures, however impartial surveys have put the quantity nearer to 40.

The presidential race was won by Claudia Sheinbaum, who can be sworn in on 1 October as the primary lady to carry the highest workplace in Mexico.

Ms Sheinbaum’s defeated rival, Xóchitl Gálvez, has been crucial of the violence which marred the marketing campaign.

Ms Gálvez stated that when she known as Ms Sheinbaum on Monday, she instructed her that “I noticed a Mexico with lots of ache and violence. I needed that she might clear up the extreme issues our folks have”.

Whereas Ms Gálvez conceded defeat after Ms Sheinbaum’s unassailable lead within the polls was introduced, she has since described the marketing campaign for the presidency as an “unequal competitors in opposition to your entire state equipment devoted to favouring its candidate”.

She additionally stated that she would problem Ms Sheinbaum’s win with out specifying how she would try this.

With greater than 95% of the votes tallied within the preliminary rely, Ms Sheinbaum had a lead of over 31 proportion factors over Ms Gálvez.