Six days after taking office, Alejandro Arcos, the recently elected mayor of Chilpancingo, was discovered dead. His passing is a part of a violent wave that is sweeping the area and is frequently linked to drug cartel activity.
Only a few days had passed before Francisco Tapia, the new secretary in Arcos’s administration, was likewise shot and killed.
Evelyn Salgado, the governor of Guerrero state, expressed shock and grief, saying the murder “fills us with indignation” as the community mourns the loss of two public servants to violence in less than a week.
Authorities have not disclosed any information about suspects or reasons, although Guerrero, a town on Mexico’s Pacific coast, is well-known for its involvement in drug cartel operations and internal gang conflicts. With a population of about 280,000, Chilpancingo has long served as the epicenter of bloody territorial battles between rival gangs, such as the Ardillos and Tlacos.
Arcos had just started his tenure, but since Hurricane John last month, which left the area severely flooded, he had been actively involved in disaster relief efforts. His social media posts showed him engaging with local locals and humanitarian workers in the hours before he passed away.
Arcos and Tapia were described by Senator Alejandro Moreno as “young and honest officials who sought progress for their community.” He encouraged the national government to take control of the investigation, citing Guerrero’s deep-rooted problems with lawlessness.
The Institutional Revolutionary Party (PRI), Arcos’s political party, denounced the bloodshed and called for justice and security for the Guerrero people, who “do not deserve to live in fear.”
At least six candidates have been assassinated in the state in the run-up to Mexico’s elections on June 2, which has experienced an increase in political violence, especially during election seasons.
The violence that has ravaged Mexico since the government’s armed war on drug cartels started in 2006 has resulted in over 450,000 murders and many more going missing.