In a disturbing escalation of Mexico’s electoral violence, two mayoral contenders, Noe Ramos Ferretiz and Alberto Garcia, were found dead on the same day, April 19, 2024. These disturbing events underscore a terrifying trend as Mexico inches closer to its June elections, which are predicted to be the bloodiest in history with 17 candidates already falling victim to such violence.
Noe Ramos Ferretiz, running for re-election as mayor of Ciudad Mante in Tamaulipas, northeastern Mexico near the Gulf of Mexico, was fatally stabbed. A search operation has been initiated by local authorities to apprehend the assailant.
On the same day, in the southeastern state of Oaxaca, Alberto Garcia, a mayoral candidate for San Jose Independencia, was found dead a day after he was reported missing. His wife, the incumbent mayor of San Jose Independencia, was found safe after also being reported missing with him.
The assassinations of these political candidates contribute to the alarming increase in political violence that has marred Mexico’s politics. Such acts are often executed by organized crime syndicates aiming to establish control over local government. This threat has led the government to provide protection to around 250 candidates, focusing especially on those in the most vulnerable municipal positions.
Alejandro Moreno, the leader of the Institutional Revolutionary Party (PRI), responded to the murders with a strong denial to let violence control the election outcomes. The state electoral board in Oaxaca also denounced the killing of Garcia, emphasizing that such acts have no place in the electoral process.
President Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador recognized that these criminal groups are not only using violence to influence elections but are also striving to put forward candidates who will cater to their interests. The recent security measures taken to protect candidates underscore the gravity of the threats they face.
Earlier this month, the mayoral campaign in Celaya, Guanajuato, was tainted by violence when candidate Bertha Gaytan was fatally shot on the first day of her campaign.
Additionally, in April, the mayor of Churumuco, Michoacan, was killed at a taco restaurant in Morelia, the state’s capital.
In late February, Michoacan had already been shaken by political violence when two mayoral candidates were murdered within hours of each other.
