A mayor in Mexico’s central San Luis Potosi state, Jesus Eduardo Franco, was shot dead on Sunday along with three other people, according to local authorities. Franco, a member of the ruling Morena party, was found dead inside a vehicle along with the three other victims.
The Morena party president, Rita Rodriguez, expressed her deep regret over Franco’s death, stating, “We ask authorities to reach the ultimate consequences and find those responsible.” This incident is part of a larger trend of organized crime-related violence targeting local officials in Mexico.
In recent years, dozens of local officials have been targeted, including Alejandro Arcos, a mayor in southern Guerrero state, who was decapitated less than a week after taking office. The violence has resulted in over 450,000 murders and thousands of missing persons since the Mexican government deployed the army to combat drug trafficking in 2006.
