Members of the general prosecutor’s office and the Navy stand guard near a vehicle involved in a shootout in Veracruz, Mexico, Monday, May 12, 2025. (AP Photo/Victoria Razo)
2nd mayoral candidate killed in Mexico’s Veracruz state ahead of June 1 elections
TEXISTEPEC, Mexico (AP) 鈥 Gunmen killed a mayoral candidate from Mexico鈥檚 governing party in the Gulf coast state of Veracruz and four others who accompanied her, the second such local candidate killing in the state ahead of the June 1 election, authorities confirmed Monday.
Members of the general prosecutor’s office and the Navy stand guard near a vehicle involved in a shootout in Veracruz, Mexico, Monday, May 12, 2025. (AP Photo/Victoria Razo)
By Iv谩n S谩nchez And Alba Alem谩n The Associated Press
TEXISTEPEC, Mexico (AP) 鈥 Gunmen killed a mayoral candidate from Mexico鈥檚 governing party in the Gulf coast state of Veracruz and four others who accompanied her, the second such local candidate killing in the state ahead of the June 1 election, authorities confirmed Monday.
There were reports later Monday that two federal agents were killed in another part of the state.
The attack on candidate Yesenia Lara Guti茅rrez of the Morena party occurred Sunday when she was leading a caravan of supporters through Texistepec. Three more people were wounded.
ARTICLE CONTINUES BELOW
Veracruz Gov. Roc铆o Nahle, also of the Morena party of President Claudia Sheinbaum, said Monday that Lara Guti茅rrez鈥檚 daughter was among those killed.
Texistepec is a town of 20,000 southwest of the important petroleum industry port of Coatzacoalcos.
鈥淣o (elected) position is worth dying for,鈥 Nahle said in a press conference Monday, where she promised justice.
鈥淎ll of the state鈥檚 power will be present in coming days so that the elections are free and democratic,鈥 she said.
At a wake Monday in Texistepec, family and friends mourned Lara Guti茅rrez and spoke about the fear the violence stirred around the election.
鈥淲e can鈥檛 continue with the insecurity, we鈥檙e tired of all of this, this is terrorism,鈥 said supporter Joaqu铆n Fonseca. 鈥淭here are five people dead, not one. We鈥檙e living the worst of the terrorism.鈥
ARTICLE CONTINUES BELOW
ARTICLE CONTINUES BELOW
Family friend Cruz Morales said the violence is so bad that 鈥渨e鈥檙e afraid to go into the fields, to go see our family in the evening, because we don鈥檛 know what鈥檚 going to happen to us on the way.鈥
Lara Guti茅rrez was the second mayoral candidate killed in Veracruz during the campaign. On April 29, the first official day of campaigning, gunmen killed Germ谩n Anuar Valencia, also from the governing party at his campaign headquarters in Coxquihui in the northern part of Veracruz.
Nahle said that 57 local candidates had requested security offered by the state and federal government. It was not immediately clear if Lara Guti茅rrez had.
Municipal elections are scheduled in Veracruz鈥檚 212 municipalities for June 1.
Local candidates are historically the most vulnerable to election violence as organized criminal groups seek to gain control of local governments.
Later Monday, local press reported that two federal agents and a third person were killed in an attack in the coastal city of Boca del Rio, Veracruz. An Associated Press photojournalist saw federal agents and soldiers maintaining a perimeter around the scene of the shooting.
Neither state nor federal authorities immediately responded to requests to confirm the toll.
Camp is a place where unexpected fun leads to unleashed potential.
With your support, The 海角社区官网Star Fresh Air Fund provides opportunities for financially vulnerable children to ignite a lifelong love for adventure at camp. Above all, your kindness makes it happen.
