A mayoral candidate and five others were killed when people opened fire at a campaign rally in the southern Mexican state of Chiapas, officials said, marking another shooting in an area known as a migrant and drug trafficking route that has been affected by the cartel. turf battles
State prosecutors said a young woman was among the six people killed in Thursday afternoon's shooting, along with mayoral candidate Lucero López Maza. Two people were also injured.
“A clash broke out between armed civilians during a political campaign event,” prosecutors said in a statement.
It was unclear whether López Maza was the intended target of the attack, because gunfire has become so common and widespread in the area.
The shooting occurred at a crossroads in the rural town of La Concordia, Chiapas, about 80 miles from the border with Guatemala.
The area near the border with Guatemala is a major smuggling route for drugs and migrants, and smiMexico's two main drug cartels have been fighting for control of the region.
On Tuesday, 11 people died in mass shootings in a town in the municipality of Chicomuselo, Chiapas, some tens of kilometers from La Concordia.
Chiapas attracts tourists with its lush jungle, indigenous communities and ancient Mayan ruins.
But the border area has been plagued by violence as a rival New Generation Cartels from Sinaloa and Jalisco battle for territory Just last month, masked men stopped a vehicle carrying Mexico's leading presidential candidate, Claudia Sheinbaum, as she traveled between campaign stops to call on her to address violence in Chiapas if she wins the June 2 election.
About 20 Mexican political candidates have been killed so far in 2024 ahead of next month's election, including a mayoral hopeful who was shot dead last month right when he started campaigning.
AFP contributed to this report.
