Mexican woman mayor killed hours after election of first female president

Dennis Milanzi

06/06/2024

Just hours after when Mexico elected its first female president Claudia Sheinbaum, the woman mayor of Cotija in Michoacán state Yolanda Sánchez Figueroa, was shot dead, as per the authorities.

Figueroa was walking back from a gym to her house with her bodyguard when people in white van shot them, said the state attorney general in a statement, reported CNN.

Both Sánchez Figueroa and her bodyguard later died in hospital, it stated, adding that an investigation has been initiated. Hours after Sheinbaum won a landslide victory to become the first female president of Mexico, Figueroa’s death confirmation came.

Sheibaum’s victory marked an achievement in a country, which is known for its patriarchal culture and widespread femicide.

Notably, the recent elections were the bloodiest in Mexico’s history with extensive violence against politicians looming large during the election.

During the campaign time, dozens of political candidates as well as applicants were killed by criminal organisations in attempts to influence the vote.

Replacing the outgoing President Andrés Manuel López Obrador, Sheinbaum will begin her presidency starting from October 1.

Andres was her longtime ally whose social welfare programs assisted many Mexicans out of poverty. This also made their leftist Morena party favourite in the polls.

However, she inherits an epidemic of gang-led violence and unsolved disappearances in Mexico in addition to facing an urgent task to strengthen domestic and border security.

Homicide rate in Mexico is among the highest in the world. Moreover, it continues to be a dangerous place for women, with figures revealing that around 10 women are murdered every day.

Additionally, more than 100,000 people remain missing in the country, with no explanation of their fate. In 2022, around 95% of all crimes nationwide went unsolved in the county, according to the think tank Mexico Evalua.

Source: BBC