Chiapas ranks second among states with the highest political violence, according to Data Cívica reports.
This morning, the body of Clemente Gómez Gómez, the former mayor of San Andrés Duraznal, Chiapas, who had left office just a couple of weeks ago, was found dead.
Initial reports indicated that the body of the former municipal president was found on the banks of the Acapulquito River, right on the road section that connects the municipal seat with the ejido of La Competencia.
Preliminary versions pointed to drowning as the possible cause of death; however, unofficially, it was reported that Clemente Gómez showed signs of torture and several wounds caused by gunshots, suggesting a deliberate homicide.
The information available so far is that it was the inhabitants of the region who alerted the authorities; subsequently, personnel from the State and Municipal Police, as well as experts from the General Justice Prosecutor’s Office (FGJ) and the Mexican Army, arrived at the scene to cordon off the area.
In addition to the wave of violence that plagues much of Chiapas, the background of this crime includes the electoral violence that hit the state during the 2023-2024 process and the murder of Clemente Gómez’s brother in 2021.
Chiapas Leads in Political Violence
During the federal elections on June 2nd, the organization Proceso Electoral identified Chiapas as the most violent state for candidates and aspirants to elected positions.
According to the civil organization’s information, the most affected municipalities were Mapastepec (7 crimes), La Concordia (6), Benemérito de Las Américas (2), San Juan Chamula (2), and Juárez (2); after Chiapas, the most violent states were Michoacán, Guerrero, Veracruz, Morelos, and the State of Mexico.
Due to this political violence, the Institute of Elections and Citizen Participation (IPEC) decided to cancel the elections in Pantelhó and Chenalhó, two regions disputed by criminal groups fighting for control of Los Altos de Chiapas.
After the elections, Chiapas ceded the top spot in political violence to Guerrero, as according to Data Cívica, the state governed by Evelyn Salgado has recorded 60 attacks (including murders, armed attacks, kidnappings, and assaults) so far this year; followed by Chiapas (55), Puebla (49), Guanajuato (46), and Morelos (33).
It is worth remembering that on October 6th, Alejandro Arcos Catalán, the elected mayor of Chilpancingo, Guerrero, who had been in office for just six days, was murdered. His killers beheaded him and left his head on a car; his body was in the passenger seat.
Source: Infobae
