In another chilling chapter of Mexico’s escalating electoral violence, two mayoral candidates, Noe Ramos Ferretiz and Alberto Garcia, were tragically found dead on the same day, Friday, April 19, 2024, highlighting a frightening trend as the country approaches its June elections. This year is anticipated to be the most violent election period on record, with 17 candidates already falling victim to such acts.
In Tamaulipas, in northeastern Mexico bordering the Gulf of Mexico, Noe Ramos Ferretiz, a candidate for reelection as mayor of Ciudad Mante, was fatally stabbed. Local authorities have launched a manhunt for the perpetrator.
Meanwhile, in the southeastern state of Oaxaca, Alberto Garcia, a mayoral candidate for San Jose Independencia, was discovered deceased a day after being reported missing. His wife, the current mayor of San Jose Independencia, was found alive after also being reported missing alongside him.
The deaths of these candidates add to a grim tally of political violence that has plagued Mexican politics, where such acts are often orchestrated by organized crime groups looking to exert control over local governance. This shadow over the political landscape has prompted the government to offer protection, assigning bodyguards to about 250 candidates, focusing primarily on those in the most vulnerable municipal roles.
In response to the killings, Alejandro Moreno, the leader of the Institutional Revolutionary Party (PRI), expressed a vehement refusal to let violence dictate the outcome of the elections. Similarly, the state electoral board in Oaxaca condemned the killing of Garcia, emphasizing that such crimes have no place in the electoral process.
President Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador has noted that these criminal organizations not only seek to influence elections through violence but also attempt to install candidates who will serve their interests. The recent measures to bolster security for candidates highlight the severity of the threat they face.
Earlier this month, the mayoral campaign in Celaya, Guanajuato, was marred by violence when candidate Bertha Gaytan was fatally shot on the campaign’s inaugural day.
Additionally, in April, Michoacan’s political violence continued as the mayor of Churumuco was killed at a taco restaurant in Morelia, the state’s capital.
Back in late February, tragedy struck in Michoacan when two candidates vying for mayoral positions in another town were murdered within a few hours of each other.