The candidate for mayor of the Mexican municipality of Celaya, Guanajuato state, central Mexico, Gisela Gaytán (Bertha Gisela Gaytán Gutiérrez), was murdered on Monday afternoon, authorities reported.
The homicide took place in the community of San Miguel Octopan, located about 6 miles from the municipal seat of Celaya, Guanajuato.
There was Gaytán Gutiérrez, candidate of the National Regeneration Movement (Morena) for the municipal presidency of Celeya, who was leading her first campaign rally.
The central axis of the event was, precisely, to present their proposals on the topic of public safety.
However, armed individuals shot him several times. The victim died at the scene, while three other people were injured during the attack.
After the events, the governor of Guanajuato, Diego Sinhue Rodríguez, condemned the attack and said that the attack will not go unpunished.
“I firmly condemn this inhuman act and reiterate my full commitment to the state coordinating the efforts of all levels of government in the electoral processes and thus, those who participate in them have the necessary protection,” said the state president.
“The cowardly attack that took the life of candidate Bertha Gisela Gaytán in Celaya will not go unpunished, my deepest condolences to her family,” he added.
Just last Sunday, the candidate for federal representative of the Citizen Movement party, Alda Pacheco Juárez, reported having been the victim of an attack while driving on the highway that connects the municipalities of Cortázar and Jaral del Progreso, also in Guanajuato.
However, there were no shots fired or injuries.
Celaya is the third most populated city in Guanajuato and is located in the area known as Laja – Bajío, one of the most violent in the state and the country.
The city is governed by Javier Mendoza Márquez, of the National Action Party, whose son was murdered in 2022; Even so, he seeks re-election for the same party.
In mid-March, in the current electoral process in Mexico, there were 44 homicides of candidates, politicians, officials and their families.
Without there being an official record, data from the organization Data Cívica points to the murder of at least 10 candidates or aspirants in the first two months of 2024, while, in February alone, there were 36 homicides of political violence when public officials are also considered. and relatives of politicians.
In contrast, the consulting firm Data Int documented the murder of 20 people who were running for elected office so far this election year, in which a total of 76 people “potentially linked to the process” have been murdered.
Mexico will have the largest elections in its history on June 2, when more than 97 million Mexicans are called to renew 20,375 federal positions, including the presidency, the 500 seats in the Chamber of Deputies and the 128 in the Senate, as well as nine state governments.
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