Puerto Vallarta, Mexico – In a surge of political violence, Mexico witnessed the assassination of five electoral candidates in February, escalating the total number to ten in the initial two months of 2024, as per a recent report by Data Cívica. The distressing spike in politically motivated crimes casts a long shadow over the upcoming elections, scheduled for June 2, when the country is set to conduct the most extensive electoral exercise in its history.
The report, titled ‘Voting between bullets,’ highlights the grim reality of political violence in Mexico, accounting for a total of 36 homicides this year when including public officials and their relatives. The violence spanned across various political factions, affecting members from the National Action Party (PAN), the National Regeneration Movement (Morena), and the Green Ecologist Party of Mexico (PVEM).
Notable victims of February’s deadly spree include Jaime Vera, a PVEM mayoral candidate for Mascota in Jalisco, and Yair Martín Romero and Manuel Hernández, both aspiring for legislative positions in the State of Mexico and Veracruz respectively under the Morena banner. The list also names Miguel Ángel Zavala and Armando Pérez Luna, respective Morena and PAN candidates for municipal presidencies in Michoacán.
The rate of attacks remains unyielding, with February matching January’s toll of five murders alongside three non-fatal incidents comprising an armed attack, a threat, and another attack targeting political figures. Data Cívica’s comprehensive analysis reveals a harrowing trend, with 58 instances of political-criminal violence recorded in February alone, encompassing threats, murders, armed confrontations, assaults, and abductions.
These incidents mark a continuation of a disturbing pattern, adding to the 11 homicides of candidates, pre-candidates, and former candidates recorded since the latter half of 2023, coinciding with the onset of the current electoral cycle which will culminate in the June elections. From January 2018 to December 2023, Data Cívica documented a total of 105 murders within the political class, signifying a profound crisis of security and governance.
Furthermore, the year 2023 witnessed an unprecedented peak in electoral violence, with 574 recorded acts of aggression including threats and assaults, the highest since such data collection commenced. This spike in violence casts a significant shadow over the democratic process in Mexico, particularly concerning as the nation prepares for its largest electoral event. More than 97 million Mexican citizens are expected to participate, selecting from an extensive roster of 20,375 federal positions, including the Presidency of the Republic, seats in both legislative chambers, and nine gubernatorial posts.
As Mexico gears up for this pivotal moment in its democratic journey, the persistent wave of political violence poses serious questions about the safety of candidates and the integrity of the electoral process. The global community watches as the nation confronts the dual challenges of conducting free, fair, and safe elections amidst an escalating tide of violence.
Puerto Vallarta, Mexico - In a surge of political violence, Mexico witnessed the assassination of five electoral candidates in February, escalating the total number to ten in the initial two months of 2024, as per a recent report by Data Cívica. The distressing spike in politically motivated crimes casts a long shadow over the upcoming elections, scheduled for June 2, when the country is set to conduct the most extensive electoral exercise in its history.
