Killing candidates south of the border

If it’s Thursday morning, then it’s another post about violence in Mexico. Or as a Mexican friend said: “Dios mio todos los dias” or “My God, every day.” Yes, killing is happening too much south of the border, whether you are a journalist or a couple of candidates running for office. This is the story:

Two mayoral hopefuls in the Mexican city of Maravatío have been gunned down within hours of each other, as experts warn the June 2 national elections could be the country’s most violent on record.

The widening control of drug cartels in Mexico has been described as a threat. During the last nationwide election in 2021, about three dozen candidates were killed.

The campaigns haven’t even started yet. They formally begin on Friday.

On Tuesday, this farming town, where most of the men wear boots and big belt buckles, was in a state of wary shock following the previous day’s killings. Dozens of state police were visible around city hall.

No campaigning yet, but the killers couldn’t care less about that. Who knew that criminals did not obey or respect election campaign laws? Remember that the next time that someone questions your Second Amendment right.

Maravatío is one of those Mexican towns that most tourists don’t see. They are hidden in the countryside, and people have lived there for centuries. The people are generally farmers and are very skeptical of the federal government.

The two candidates murdered confirm that criminal elements “…make much of their money extorting protection payments from local businesses and even local governments. That’s why mayoral races are more important to them than national elections and often become violent.”

Again, the official campaign starts on Friday, and God only knows who will be killed next.

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Image: A street in Maravatio (YouTube screen grab), edited with dripping blood.