Violence against candidates ahead of Mexico's general election

On May 19, the Electoral Institute of the state of Chiapas (IEPC) of Mexico expressed concern over the increased violence against mayoral candidates ahead of the general election scheduled to take place early next month, and asked the government to further strengthen security measures and protect candidates.

According to a VNA correspondent in Mexico, at least 16 people from the ruling National Reconstruction Movement (Morena) party and the Chiapas People's Party have been murdered in three attacks since May 16.

The IEPC statement came just hours after a shooting targeted a car carrying Elmer Nicolás Noriega Zavala, 43, a candidate for mayor of Mapastepec, and local council candidates from the Morena party, killing four people on the spot and one in hospital.

On May 18, an attack on a convoy carrying a Morena party candidate en route to the Villa Corzo town hall in the La Frailesca region of Chiapas state left three people dead and one injured.

Two days earlier, an armed group had gunned down candidate Lucero Esmeralda López Maza of the Chiapas People's Party running for mayor of La Concordia, along with six others traveling in the same car.

Faced with the above situation, IEPC emphasized that "the electoral process cannot become an arena where political differences are expressed through violent actions."

The agency also affirmed that the upcoming general election is an opportunity for people to peacefully decide the political destiny of the community through their votes, thereby strengthening democracy. IEPC called on political forces, candidates and voters to strictly comply with the regulations in the election scheduled to take place on June 2.

Mexico's upcoming general election will elect a president, 500 members of the lower house of Congress and 128 members of the Senate.

This is the first time that central and local elections are being held simultaneously in all 32 states nationwide.