Bloodstained Mexico's Ballots: Over 40 Killed In Most Violent Elections Since 2018

Oneindia

Mexico is enduring one of its bloodiest election seasons in recent history, with the murders of 37 political candidates since June 2023. As the nation approaches its presidential election on Sunday, the violence shows no signs of abating. This week alone saw the assassination of two mayoral candidates, highlighting the perilous environment for those involved in politics.    The latest victims, José Alfredo Cabrera and Ricardo Arizmendi, were both mayoral candidates. Cabrera was gunned down on May 29 in Coyuca de Benítez, Guerrero, while walking towards the podium to deliver his closing campaign speech. Arizmendi was killed on May 28 in his office in Cuautla, Morelos, having been shot five times in the head. No arrests have been made in connection.      #MexicoElections #PoliticalViolence #ElectionSeason2024 #CartelViolence #MexicanPolitics #ElectionSecurity #PoliticalMurders #ChiapasViolence #HugsNotBullets #ClaudiaSheinbaum #XóchitlGálvez #LópezObrador #OrganizedCrime #ElectionSafety #MilitaryDeployment                 ~HT.178~PR.152~ED.101~GR.124~

Transcript

00:00 [crowd noise]

00:15 [music]

00:25 Mexico is facing one of its bloodiest election seasons in recent history

00:31 with the murders of 37 political candidates since June 2023.

00:37 As the nation approaches its presidential election on Sunday,

00:41 the violence shows no signs of abating.

00:44 This week alone saw the assassination of two mayoral candidates

00:48 highlighting the perilous environment for those involved in politics.

00:53 The latest victims, Jose Alfredo Cabrera and Ricardo Arizmendi,

00:59 were both mayoral candidates.

01:01 Cabrera was gunned down on May 29 in Coyuca de Benitez,

01:05 Guerrero while walking towards the podium to deliver his closing campaign speech.

01:10 Arizmendi was killed on May 28 in his office in Coautla, Morelos,

01:16 having been shot five times in the head.

01:19 No arrests have been made in connection.

01:22 Data from civil society organization Voter Entre Ballas reveals a disturbing trend.

01:29 73% of politicians who suffered violent attacks were local candidates.

01:35 In 2024 alone, there have been 339 aggressions against political candidates.

01:42 These include threats, murders, kidnappings, attempted murders,

01:48 armed attacks, and disappearances.

01:50 President André Manuel López Obrador has tried to reassure the public,

01:55 announcing that 3,000 military troops are protecting at least 500 candidates across the country.

02:01 However, his "Hugs Not Bullets" policy has been criticized for failing to curb violence.

02:08 In the final debate, Shane Baum pledged to continue this policy,

02:13 while Galvez blamed the high levels of insecurity on it,

02:17 dubbing Shane Baum the "narco" candidate.

02:20 Despite the deployment of 300,000 military troops during his presidency,

02:25 the most in Mexico's history, the political violence persists.

02:29 The Mexican military has also been implicated in numerous human rights abuses.

02:33 Between 2007 and April 2024, the military has been responsible for 5,832 recorded civilian deaths,

02:40 most of which remain uninvestigated.

02:43 The Armed Conflict Location and Event Data Project's recent report

02:47 attributes much of the violence in Chiapas to organized crime,

02:50 but also points to land conflicts and border disputes.

02:53 Federal authorities and the private sector's interest in indigenous territories for mining and agriculture

02:58 exacerbates these tensions.

03:00 As Mexico heads to the polls, the nation's future hangs in the balance.

03:05 The outcome of Sunday's presidential election will not only determine the next leader,

03:10 but also set the course for how the country will address the deep-seated issues of violence

03:14 and insecurity plaguing its political landscape.

03:17 See you next week!

03:18 [♪♪]

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