A local elections candidate in Mexico has been gunned down in the middle of a campaign event and just after going live on Facebook, becoming the latest victim in a string of murders of politicians ahead of the June vote.
Electoral candidate Alma Barragán was shot to death on Tuesday afternoon in the Mexican town of Moroleón in the central state of Guanajuato as she was taking part in a campaign event. According to local media, a group of armed men arrived at the spot where Barragán was holding a rally and opened fire. Two others have been reported injured.
Shortly before the attack Barragán had gone live on her Facebook page telling the audience where she was and inviting local residents to join her: “Hello, how are you? I am here in La Manguita with Pedro Guzmán. If you want to accompany me, come and listen to my proposals and socialize. Thank you very much, I am waiting for you here.”
Barragán was the candidate for the town mayor from the opposition Citizens’ Movement (Movimiento Ciudadano). The campaign that leads to local elections in Mexico which are to be held on June 6 has been marred by violence. Earlier this month another candidate from the Citizens’ Movement, Abel Murrieta, was shot dead while handing out flyers in a busy street in the northwestern Cajeme municipality.
Since the start of the electoral process in September, more than 80 politicians have been murdered, most of them gunned down. Between February and April this year, more than 50 elected officials, members of political parties and candidates were killed, which is around 40% more than before the 2018 elections, Mexican consulting firm Integralia reports.
More than 60 candidates for mayor are reported to have withdrawn from the campaign across Mexico amid the spiraling violence, which has been blamed on gang crime.
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