Political Violence Spree Continues in Mexico with Mayor Shot Dead at a Michoacan State Restaurant

A new episode of political violence shook Mexico, after the mayor of a town was shot dead in a restaurant where he was eating with his 14-year-old son.

Guillermo Torres Rojas, mayor of Churumuco, located in the western state of Morelia, was murdered when he was at a taco store when the assailants opened fire without any warning. He was shot three times and died in the place. Torres' son was wounded in the attack but survived.

The killing is the latest episode of political violence in the Latin American country, which has seen an escalation of such events in the lead up to June's presidential elections, when 20,000 local and federal positions, as well as the entire Congress, will be chosen.

A little over two weeks ago, mayoral candidate Tomás Morales was killed in the Pacific coast state of Guerrero, where over half a dozen local politicians have been killed so far this year. State prosecutors said Morales was shot by a gunman outside his home.

El País reported that at least 33 people involved in politics were killed in the first two months of the year, many of them candidates for office. The outlet added that some fear this year's elections could be the most violent cycle in the country's history.

A recount conducted by consulting firm Etellekt in the 2021 elections showed that at least 35 candidates were murdered during that cycle, while the last presidential elections, which took place in 2018, saw 48 fatalities.

According to CBS News, local cartels have often focused their assassination attempts on local candidates to control police or extort money from municipal governments.