Mexican mayor murdered days after taking office

The mayor of a Mexican city plagued by drug violence has been assassinated less than a week after taking office.

Alejandro Arcos was found dead on Sunday in Chilpancingo, a city of about 280,000 people in the southwestern state of Guerrero. He was mayor for six days.

Evelyn Salgado, the state’s governor, said the city was in mourning over a murder that “fills us with outrage.” His death came three days after the city council’s new secretary, Francisco Tapia, was shot dead.

Authorities have not released any details about the investigation or any suspects. However, Guerrero is one of the hardest-hit states due to drug violence, and drug cartels have murdered dozens of politicians across the country.

Authorities confirmed Arcos’ killing after unverified images on social media showed what appeared to be his remains.

Arcos’ social media posts indicate he spent his days in office overseeing relief efforts after last month’s Hurricane John, which caused severe flooding.

In the hours before his death, photos of meetings with emergency workers and residents were posted to his Facebook account.

Alejandro Moreno, a Mexican senator, said Arcos and Tapia were “young and honest officials who sought progress for their community.” He called on federal authorities to take charge of the investigation, given Guerrero’s “ungovernability.”

The Institutional Revolutionary Party of Arcos called for justice. ‘Enough violence and impunity! The people of Guerrero do not deserve to live in fear,” the report said on Twitter/X.

Politicians, especially at the local level, often fall victim to bloodshed linked to corruption and the multi-billion dollar drug trade.

Guerrero is one of the hardest-hit states due to its location on the smuggling routes along the Pacific coast, and Chilpancingo has long been the scene of battles between two drug gangs, the Ardillos and the Tlacos.

At least six candidates for public office were assassinated in the state ahead of Mexico’s June 2 elections.

Since the government deployed the military to combat drug trafficking in 2006, more than 450,000 people have been killed and tens of thousands have gone missing across Mexico.