The mayor of Chilpancingo, the capital of Mexico’s violence-stricken Guerrero state, Alejandro Arcos, was killed on Sunday, just six days after assuming office. Guerrero Governor Evelyn Salgado confirmed the murder, expressing outrage and mourning over the loss. The state’s attorney general has opened an investigation into the killing.
“His loss mourns the entire Guerrero society and fills us with indignation,” Salgado said in a statement shared on social media
Arcos’ brutal death came just three days after the city’s government secretary, Francisco Tapia, was also shot dead. Local media circulated disturbing images of what appeared to be Arcos’ severed head on a pick-up truck, although the authenticity of these photos has not been verified.
The murders have sparked widespread condemnation, with Senator Alejandro Moreno, the head of Mexico’s PRI political party, calling for the federal attorney general to take over the investigation, citing a growing state of lawlessness in Guerrero.
“They were young and honest officials who sought progress for their community,” Moreno wrote on social media.
Known as one of Mexico’s deadliest regions for public officials and journalists, the state has seen at least six political candidates killed ahead of Mexico’s June 2 elections.
In his brief time as mayor, Arcos had been leading relief efforts in response to severe flooding in Acapulco and surrounding areas caused by Hurricane John. His death, alongside Tapia’s, has cast a shadow over Guerrero’s already precarious security situation.
Melissa Enoch
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