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 town of around 280,000 in the southwestern state of Guerrero. He had been mayor for six days.

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

Authorities have not released details of the investigation or the suspects. However, Guerrero is one of the states most affected by drug-related violence, and drug cartels have assassinated 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 show he had spent his days in office overseeing disaster relief efforts following Hurricane John last month, which caused severe flooding.

Photos of meetings with rescue workers and residents were posted on his Facebook account hours before his death.

Alejandro Moreno, a Mexican senator, said Arcos and Tapia were “young and honest public servants who sought to advance their community.” He called on federal authorities to take over the investigation given Guerrero’s “ungovernability.”

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

Politicians, particularly at the local level, are frequently the victims of bloodshed linked to corruption and the multibillion-dollar drug trade.

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

At least six candidates for public office have been killed in the state in the run-up to Mexico’s June 2 elections.

More than 450,000 people have been murdered and tens of thousands have disappeared across Mexico since the government deployed the military to combat drug trafficking in 2006.