Terrifying video captured the moment a mayoral candidate was killed and three people injured during his final campaign event in Mexico’s Pacific coast state of Guerrero.
José Cabrera, who was running for mayor of the municipality of Coyuca de Benítez, was shot at least twice by a gunman on Wednesday afternoon.
The 37-year-old can be seen exchanging pleasantries with supporters as he walked to the podium on a basketball court when the suspect pointed the gun at the back of his head and opened fire.
The shooting sent screaming supporters running to safety before at least 15 shots were fired.
The gunman, whose name has not been released by authorities, was shot dead. At least one person was arrested.
Cabrera is the 36th politician to be assassinated since September 2023, the start of the campaign season.
Mayoral candidate José Cabrera was seen on video greeting supporters at his final campaign rally, seconds before he was killed Wednesday in the western Mexican city of Coyuca de Benítez
The gunman’s weapon appeared in a video as mayoral candidate José Cabrera greeted supporters before pulling the trigger and firing two shots. The suspect, whose name has not been released by authorities, was shot and killed
Just five hours before his assassination, Cabrera, who ran under a unity ticket, supported the Institutional Revolutionary Party (PRI), the National Action Party (PAN) and the Party of the Democratic Revolution (PRD), taking to Facebook to thank his supporters. of Sunday’s general election.
“I have no doubt that our people have already made up their minds and are convinced of the direction our community will take over the next three years,” he wrote.
“Grateful to God and that his will will endure in this election, he knows the hearts of all of us and the intention we have to serve our people.
“I invite you to join us and make your vote count at that ballot box where you can responsibly choose your ruler. See you soon and together we will celebrate our triumph.’
The PRI deplored Cabrera’s assassination and condemned Morena, the ruling party, for failing to provide protection to candidates for public office.
“We demand that the authorities investigate this devious crime and find those responsible,” the PRI said in a statement.
“It is a shame that the Morena government has made even the slightest effort to ensure the safety of the candidates and that this campaign is ending violently.”
José Cabrera became the 36th person running for public office to be assassinated in Mexico’s current election cycle. The 37-year-old mayoral candidate for the western city of Coyuca de Benítez was shot Wednesday afternoon during his final campaign event
Rosalinda López, who is trying to become mayor of the southern Mexico city of Matías Romero, complained Wednesday about the shooting of a band member at her latest campaign event
PAN candidate Xóchitl Gálvez, who follows Morena nominee Claudia Sheinbaum to become the country’s first female president, recalled meeting Cabrera during Hurricane Otis recovery efforts.
“There are no words to express the outrage I feel over the murder of Alfredo Cabrera, candidate for municipal president of Coyuca, Guerrero,” Gálvez wrote on X, the social media platform formerly known as Twitter. “My deepest condolences to his family, his friends and the entire city of Coyuca de Benítez. Rest in peace.’
Jesús Zambrano, the PRD’s national director, linked Cabrera’s killing to the stronghold of criminal organizations in the state and accused the federal government and the National Electoral Council of failing to provide security to politicians.
“More than 50% of the Guerrero territory is threatened by organized crime, the situation in the state is alarming,” Zambrano wrote on X. “We demand the immediate intervention of the authorities to put an end to this climate of violence facing the US. state and across the country.”
Wednesday’s violence spread to the southern state of Oaxaca, where gunmen shot dead a member of a band hired to perform at the final campaign event of Rosalinda López, who is running for mayor of the municipality of Matías Romero .
Coyuca de Benítez, Mexican mayoral candidate José Cabrera posed with supporters moments before he was shot dead during his final campaign event on Wednesday afternoon
Ricardo Arizmendi, who ran for mayor of the central Mexican city of Cuautla, was killed on Tuesday.
Authorities found the severed head of Aníbal Zuñiga, who was running for councilor of the Guerrero city of Coyuca de Benítez, on May 16 in Acapulco.
“What hurts and bothers me the most is that they threaten the lives of others,” said. If there is so much hatred and fear towards me, let it be against me.’
At least 20,000 candidates are vying for office in what has become one of the deadliest campaign seasons in history.
Ricardo Arizmendi, who was running as deputy mayoral candidate of Cuautla in the central state of Morelos, was shot by two men on a motorcycle in a market on Tuesday. A woman was also injured in the attack.
Gilberto Palomar, who is seeking the mayoral seat of Encarnación de Díaz in the western state of Jalisco, and two of his staffers were injured in a shooting at his home while wrapping up his campaign, according to state security coordinator Ricardo Sánchez.
Rubén Cruz, who is running for mayor of Hueypoxtla, Mexico, narrowly escaped attack after gunmen opened fire on him and his friends and family as they walked back to his home hours after wrapping up his campaign.
The severed heads of Aníbal Zuñiga, who ran for councilor of the Guerrero city of Coyuca de Benítez, and his wife, Rubí Bravo, were left behind in the resort town of Acapulco on May 16.