– The mayor of Guerrero’s capital, Alejandro Arcos, was killed on Sunday, just six days after taking office, as confirmed by the state’s governor.
Arcos was shot dead in Chilpancingo, a city of approximately 280,000 people in southwestern Mexico. “His loss mourns the entire Guerrero society and fills us with indignation,” Guerrero Governor Evelyn Salgado stated on social media.
The state attorney general’s office in Guerrero announced that it was investigating Arcos’ murder. This confirmation followed the circulation of photos on the messaging app WhatsApp showing a severed head on top of a pickup truck, which appeared to belong to Arcos. Reuters could not independently verify the authenticity of these images.
The tragedy occurred just three days after Francisco Tapia, the new city government’s secretary, was also shot and killed. Senator Alejandro Moreno, the head of Mexico’s PRI political party, expressed his condolences on social media, saying, “They were young and honest officials who sought progress for their community.” He urged the federal attorney general’s office to take charge of the investigations into the murders of Arcos and Tapia, citing “the situation of ungovernability in Guerrero.”
Guerrero has become one of the most dangerous states for both aspiring and elected public officials, as well as journalists. In the lead-up to Mexico’s June 2 elections, at least six candidates for public office were killed in the state.
Arcos’ recent social media posts indicate that he had been supervising disaster relief efforts following Hurricane John’s impact last month, which resulted in severe flooding in Acapulco and nearby towns.
