The candidate for mayor of the municipality of Coyuca de Benítez, located in the Mexican state of Guerrero, José Alfredo Cabrera Barrientos, was shot dead on Wednesday, May 29, during the closing of his campaign. A series of videos found on social networks can be seen when the candidate was shot in the head by a subject who, according to authorities, was killed at the scene of the tragic accident.
The Attorney General’s Office of the State of Guerrero (FGE) opened an investigation file after the murder of José Alfredo Cabrera Barrientos, candidate of the alliance of the Institutional Revolutionary (PRI), National Action (PAN) and the Democratic Revolution (PRD) parties. .
“This law enforcement institution initiated an investigation file against the person or persons responsible for the crime of qualified homicide,” FGE announced in a statement.
“Agents from the Ministerial Investigative Police and Expert Services attended the scene, carrying out the corresponding investigative acts to obtain the necessary evidence to clarify the crime,” they added.
He was shot twice in the head
The candidate Cabrera Barrientos was at the end of the campaign, just 4 days before the 2024 elections, which will take place on June 2. The politician came down from a stage after giving his speech, he was greeting the people who gathered at the place to offer him their support.
It was around 6:00 in the afternoon, local time, the candidate was walking through the crowd, according to what can be seen in the videos, the aggressor was walking behind him, and when he saw the opportunity he pulled out a gun and pointed it at him. head and shot him twice.
Then people’s screams are heard, and for a moment a flurry of gunshots. The attacker who was carrying a 9 millimeter caliber was killed by the security guards of a private company, who had the function of protecting the candidate.
“It is known that the alleged aggressor was killed at the scene,” confirmed FGE, who stated that “their commitment to the people of Guerrero in seeking access to justice and the fight against impunity.”
José Alfredo Cabrera Barrientos, candidate for mayor of Coyuca de Benítez for the PAN-PRI-PRD coalition, was shot dead this Wednesday.
The tragic event occurred during a campaign closing event in the community of Las Lomas. pic.twitter.com/ll8fssWIfH
— Antena Noticias (@antenanoticias) May 30, 2024
Other people were injured
The bodies of the politician and the gunman were left lying in the park where the rally was taking place and witnesses claim that due to the shots fired by the bodyguards, three attendees were injured, and two men were detained by the police, EFE reported.
At the scene, National Guard police, State and Ministerial police guarded the crime scene so that experts from the State Attorney General’s Office could begin their investigations.
Another Guerrero candidate dismembered
On May 17, candidate Aníbal Zúñiga Cortes, of the PRI-PAN-PRD coalition, was found dismembered along with his wife Rubi Bravo Solís in the back of a truck in the port of Acapulco, in Guerrero.
Due to this violent event, the candidate José Alfredo Cabrera had requested greater protection from police officers from the National Guard, State Police, Ministerial Police, and the Navy, in addition to private security escorts.
The consulting firm Integralia, which documents political violence in this electoral process, reported that political attacks have increased by 150.5% in Mexico to a total of 749 victims in the current process compared to the last midterm elections in 2021, EFE said.
The consultancy documented since the official beginning of the electoral process, on September 4, a daily average of 2.8 victims of attacks, which include murders, attacks with firearms, threats, kidnappings, disappearances and other forms of high-impact violence. .
34 candidates murdered
Among the attacks, Integralia documented 34 murders of applicants, a figure that rises to 231 homicides when also considering officials or former officials, politicians or former politicians, family members and collateral victims.
The Government of Mexico recognized the murder of 22 candidates, of which only eight were official candidates, although independent groups count more, such as Integralia, and the 39 from the consulting firm DataInt, EFE explained.
His last publication on networks
The last publication of the candidate Cabrera Barrientos was on his Facebook on May 28, where he invited the people of Guerrero and all Mexicans to get to know Barra de Coyuca.
“And so, always everywhere, love is definitely repaid with love, visit the Coyuca bar, it truly is a paradise and the best in the culinary art. Thank you very much for your attention always,” wrote the mayoral candidate.
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