Mexican mayor, three others found lifeless in vehicle

A mayor in Mexico’s central San Luis Potosi state, Jesús Eduardo Franco of the ruling Morena party, was shot dead on Sunday along with three other individuals, local authorities confirmed.

The victims, including Franco, who served as the municipal president of Tancanhuitz, were discovered lifeless inside a vehicle, according to the state prosecutor’s office.

“We deeply regret the death of our colleague Eduardo Franco, municipal president of Tancanhuitz,” Morena party president Rita Rodríguez expressed in a statement shared on X. She further urged authorities “to reach the ultimate consequences and find those responsible.”

This incident adds to a troubling wave of violence targeting local officials in Mexico, often linked to organised crime. Just last month, local media reported the brutal killing of Alejandro Arcos, a mayor in southern Guerrero state. Arcos was decapitated less than a week after taking office, with his head found atop a pickup truck.

According to AFP, since the Mexican government initiated military operations against drug cartels in 2006, more than 450,000 people have been murdered, while thousands remain missing, official statistics reveal.

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