A few hours before the vote, 38th Mexican candidate is murdered

This year’s election in Mexico became the bloodiest in the country’s modern history, with the murder of Israel Delgado Vega, 35, on the night of Saturday, June 1. Delgado Vega, candidate for councilor in the city of Cuitzeo, in the state of Michoacán, was shot dead outside his home by two people on a motorcycle, according to police reports. From the Labor Party (PT), Delgado Vega ran on the ticket led by Rosa Elia Milan Pintor, mayor and candidate for re-election in Cuitzeo, supported by Morena, PT and PVEM.

Political violence in Mexico has been fueled by criminal organizations that dispute control of territories and seek to coerce local authorities. Violence marked the electoral period, with 38 candidates murdered before the vote this Sunday, June 2nd. This brutal scenario has placed violence at the center of presidential campaign discussions, highlighting the seriousness of the security situation in the country.

Delgado Vega was not an isolated case. On Friday, May 31, Jorge Cabrera Huerta, candidate for councilor in Izúcar de Matamoros, Puebla, was also shot dead. Cabrera Huerta was in a van with his girlfriend and a party colleague when he was attacked. He died at the city’s General Hospital.

Read also: In Mexico, electoral campaigns end early due to political violence

Cabrera Huerta was part of the ticket of Eliseo El Chino Morales, candidate for the alliance of the Green Party and Force for Mexico. The attack left 21 bullet casings at the scene and local authorities were unable to locate the attackers.

Michoacán, where Delgado Vega was running, has been particularly affected by political violence. In the current electoral process, nine pre-candidates, candidates or public officials were murdered in the state, in addition to three missing politicians. The region is the scene of disputes between organized crime organizations for control of territories, especially in areas where fuel is stolen from Pemex pipelines, known as ‘huachicol’.

Election Violence Report

The Third Electoral Laboratory Report titled “Electoral Violence Process 2023-2024” revealed that from June 4, 2023 to May 29, 2024, 320 cases of electoral violence occurred, including 93 murders, of which 36 were aspirants. The report also counted 131 threats, 77 attacks and 17 kidnappings of people related to the elections.

In the last week alone, four candidates were shot, with the penultimate incident occurring on Friday, May 31, in the state of Puebla. Due to the violence, authorities in Chiapas suspended elections in two municipalities. In Michoacán, 84 voting centers will not open due to insecurity or conflicts, according to the National Electoral Institute (INE).

Violence also impacts the presidential race. The favorite, Claudia Sheinbaum, 61, from the Morena party, the same as President Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador, faces harsh criticism over the high homicide rate in the country. The opposition has used these numbers to argue the need for change in government.

The 2024 general election in Mexico is marked by unprecedented violence, reflecting a scenario of insecurity that extends across several regions of the country. The death of Israel Delgado Vega, along with other candidates, highlights the urgency of solutions to combat organized crime and guarantee the safety of those involved in the democratic process.