Yolanda Sanchez Figueroa, the mayor of Cotija, was killed along with her bodyguard in a violent attack Monday, CBS News reported.
This incident occurred just one day after Claudia Sheinbaum was elected as the country’s first female president. Sanchez, elected in 2021, was reportedly shot 19 times outside a gym by assailants in a white truck, who then fled the scene. The attack also claimed the life of her bodyguard, identified only as Jesús V, according to the local government, CBS News reported.
Woman mayor shot dead in Mexico day after Claudia Sheinbaum’s historic presidential win https://t.co/zNUvt2H7I3
— CBS Evening News (@CBSEveningNews) June 4, 2024
The Michoacan attorney general’s office reported that the attackers opened fire from their moving vehicle before making their escape, CBS News reported. Michoacan, known for its tourist attractions and agricultural exports, has become one of Mexico’s most violent states due to extortion and drug trafficking by gangs. (RELATED: Shocking Video Shows Moment Suspect Assassinates Mexican Mayoral Candidate At Point-Blank Range)
The murder continues a disturbing trend of violence against political figures in Mexico. Attacks targeted several mayoral candidates and other public officials in May, underscoring the dangerous conditions for public servants. Figueroa had previously encountered such threats and she was kidnapped Sept. 2023 in Guadalajara, Jalisco, and released three days later, CBS News reported.
Reports indicated that her kidnappers were linked to the Jalisco Cartel – New Generation (CJNG), a criminal group notorious for its violent tactics, according to CBS News. The state government has launched a security operation in hopes of arresting the perpetrators behind this assassination.
