A newly elected mayor was assassinated Monday in Southern Mexico, The Associated Press (AP) reported.
Salvador Villalva Flores, the recently elected mayor of a small coastal town in Guerrero, Mexico, was assassinated, according to AP. Authorities reported that Villalva was traveling on a bus in San Pedro las Playas when an unidentified assailant shot him in the head, causing his immediate death. San Pedro las Playas is located approximately two hours from Copala where Villalva won the mayoral seat June 2.
The Guerrero state prosecutor’s office, which is handling the investigation, has yet to release further information regarding the motives or the perpetrators behind this heinous act. Known for its scenic beaches, Guerrero is also a battleground for violent clashes among several criminal factions vying for territorial control, the outlet reported.
Mayor-elect pulled off bus and assassinated near resort city of Acapulco https://t.co/b0BzpDSilU #LocalElections #PoliticalViolence #Assassination
— Beloud (@beloudcom) June 17, 2024
This assassination is part of a disturbing trend of violence targeting political figures in Mexico. Data Civica, a human rights organization, noted that around 34 political candidates were murdered in the months leading up to and following the June elections, AP reported. These killings reflect the volatile security situation in many parts of the country, where political figures often become targets. (RELATED: Nine Dead, Dozens Injured After Stage Collapses At Presidential Rally)
It was previously reported that Cotija Mayor Yolanda Sanchez Figueroa and her bodyguard were fatally shot in a brazen attack last June 3. The assassination occurred just one day after the election of Claudia Sheinbaum, the country’s first female president. Elected in 2021, Sanchez was ambushed and shot 19 times by gunmen from a white truck outside a gym before they fled the scene, CBS News reported.
