A bloody attack has just occurred at the town hall of San Mateo Pinas, Oaxaca state, Mexico, killing female Mayor Lilia Garcia and another official.
The incident was determined to have been caused by 4 armed men, causing public outrage and raising concerns about the wave of political violence in this country.
According to police, the attack group rode a motorbike to the headquarters of the city court, threatened security forces, and then stormed Ms. Garcia's office. Here, they opened fire to kill her and an official named Eli Garcia. Two local police officers were also injured in the attack.
Oaxaca Governor Salomon Jara said the brutal act was "inevitable from punishment" and pledged to bring the perpetrators to justice. The state prosecutor's office has launched an investigation, and the military and federal special forces have been dispatched to the area to strengthen security.
This is the latest in a series of attacks on local politicians in Mexico - where organized criminal gangs are increasingly rampant, especially in areas with strong drug trafficking activities. These gangs often target local leaders because they think they hinder their interests or do not protect illegal activities.
Not only stopping in rural or remote areas, the wave of violence is also spreading to the capital Mexico City. Just a month ago, two close associates of Mayor Clara Brugada were also publicly murdered, raising concerns about the recklessness and increasingly profound influence of organized crime.
Mexico has seen about 480,000 deaths from crime-related violence since 2006, mostly due to drug trafficking. More than 120,000 others were reported missing. These terrible figures clearly reflect the unrest that the Mexican government is still struggling to control.
