Mayor who survived assassination attempt shot dead in town hall
A local mayor in central Mexico was shot to death in his city hall after the politician survived an earlier assassination attempt, authorities reported Wednesday.
The town of Temoac is located in the state of Morelos, an area close to Mexico City where many drug cartels are active.
Mayor Valentin Lavin, who is affiliated with Mayor Claudia Sheinbaum’s left-wing party, survived the January shooting, according to local media reports.
The state prosecutor’s office said forensic experts and police officers found his body inside local government facilities.
In the statement, it was stated that the operation was continuing to catch those responsible for the crime.
Mayor Valentin Lavin / Credit: Valentin Lavin Romero via Facebook
Official figures show that almost 100 mayors have been killed in Mexico since 2006, when drug-related violence increased. 14 mayors have been killed in Mexico since the current government took office in October 2024, three more in 2026. Uno TV reported this week.
The country was particularly shocked Shot to death of Mayor Carlos Manzo During Day of the Dead celebrations in the state of Michoacan last November.
Criminal gangs frequently launch attacks on local officials in Mexico, especially in areas where cartels fight for territory.
Last week, the attackers were shot dead The husband of a Mexican congressman opened fire, wounding the politician and his daughter as the family reportedly headed to a school graduation, authorities said.
sheinbaum July 14 said He said homicides in Mexico have fallen by nearly half since September 2024 and touted the decrease as a result of security policies he has implemented since taking office.
Mexico has been plagued by years of increasing violence since 2006, when the government took action against drug cartels. Nearly 500,000 people have been killed and nearly 130,000 have disappeared since then, according to government data.
