The mayor of Chilpancingo, a crime-plagued city in Mexico, was killed less than a week after taking office, marking the latest in a series of violent attacks on politicians in the country.
Alejandro Arcos, who assumed office as mayor on October 1, was murdered just days after the city government’s secretary, Francisco Tapia, was also shot dead. This incident has raised further concerns about security in Mexico, which recently experienced its largest and bloodiest general election.
On Monday, newly elected President Claudia Sheinbaum described Arcos’ death as “unfortunate” and announced that her security team would provide more details on Tuesday regarding measures being taken to tackle the country’s security issues.
“We will implement a general strategy with increased presence, intelligence, and investigation in coordination with state governors,” Sheinbaum stated during a press conference.
Chilpancingo, the capital of Guerrero, is known for its high crime rates and is also near the popular tourist destination of Acapulco.