Mexico’s mayor was assassinated by a criminal group less than a week after taking office

ALABAMA – Violence in Mexico continues to make headlines as clashes between two factions of the Sinaloa Cartel quickly spread to other parts of the country. In recent weeks, hundreds of people have died in northern Mexico, including cartel members, civilians, migrants and law enforcement, but the south has also seen increased levels of violence.

Some current cases involve a famous music band and attacks on members of the armed forces. Politicians are currently among the targets.

Less than a week after vowing to protect the citizens of Chilpancingo, Guerrero as mayor, Alejandro Arcos was assassinated in an attack apparently carried out by cartels and criminal groups. Local media reported that Arcos had been beheaded, but there was no official information about the politician’s death.

After authorities confirmed Arcos’ death on October 6, Guerrero state Governor Evelyn Salgado wrote on social media that his death “fills us with outrage” and reiterated her compromise to continue seeking a peaceful solution to the issue ongoing violence problem in the state.

According to reports from Reuters, photos circulating on WhatsApp showed a severed head on what appeared to be Arcos’ vehicle, but the news agency could not independently verify the authenticity of the photos.

His death comes just three days after the secretary of the new city government, Francisco Tapia, was shot. Amid the feeling of “ungovernability” in Guerrero, Alejandro Moreno, senator and leader of the Mexican political party PRI, called on the Attorney General’s Office to lead the investigation into both murders.

“They were young and honest public servants who sought progress for their community,” Moreno wrote on social media.

This year has been a particularly violent one for politicians and local government officials in Mexico. At least six candidates for public office were killed in Guerrero ahead of Mexico’s June 2 elections. According to official figures, at least 24 politicians were murdered across the country.

Last year was no different: Guerrero recorded a total of 1,890 murders in the state. The situation has escalated to the point that the US State Department is now advising Americans to avoid the state entirely due to the high crime and violence rates.

Mexico’s President Claudia Sheinbaum, who was sworn in on October 1, has vowed to stick with her predecessor Andrés Manuel López Obrador’s strategy known as “hugs not bullets” to fight crime at its root with social policies. Sheinbaum is expected to unveil her security plan on October 8th.

Sheinbaum is already taking action to combat violence in northern Mexico, where she has launched a special task force called Fuerza de Tarea that, along with local officials, will try to bring order to Sinaloa’s streets and confront the cartels responsible for the Ongoing turf wars have resulted in over 130 deaths since September 9th.