The mayor of Chilpancingo, Alejandro Arcos, was murdered less than a week after taking office, this was confirmed by authorities on Sunday, marking another grim attack on politicians in Mexico’s violence-ridden Guerrero State.
Governor Evelyn Salgado expressed outrage over the killing, stating it “fills us with indignation,” though no further details were provided. Local media reported Arcos had been decapitated, but this has not been officially confirmed.
Arcos, elected in June under an opposition coalition including the Institutional Revolutionary Party (PRI), was condemned as a victim of a “cowardly crime” by the party, which demanded justice.
“Enough of violence and impunity! The people of Guerrero do not deserve to live in fear,” the PRI wrote on X.
This attack follows the murder of another official, Francisco Tapia, just days earlier. PRI President Alejandro Moreno commented on the loss of both leaders, saying, “They had been in office for less than a week. Young and honest officials who sought progress for their community.”
Guerrero has long been plagued by cartel violence linked to drug production and trafficking. In 2023, the state recorded 1,890 murders, and across Mexico, more than 450,000 people have been killed since the army was deployed to combat cartels in 2006.
The wave of violence poses a significant challenge to Mexico’s new president, Claudia Sheinbaum, who has pledged to tackle crime by focusing on social policy rather than armed confrontation.
She is set to announce her security strategy on Tuesday.