Federico García Parra, a bilingual teacher, community leader and supervisor of School Zone 087 in Zapotitlán Tablas, Guerrero, was shot to death after leaving the school where he worked in the Mountain region of Guerrero.
The attack occurred on Wednesday, August 26, 2026, although the death was confirmed the following day, when his body was handed over to his relatives at the Forensic Medical Service (Semefo) in Tlapa.
García Parra was originally from the community of Huitzapula, in the municipality of Atlixtac. In addition to working as a teacher and school supervisor, he served as an official of the Civil Registry of the Zapotitlán Tablas municipal government and was part of the agrarian authority of his community.
He was also recognized as one of the principal specialists in the bátháá variant of the Me’phaa language, also known as Tlapanec, and was involved in the preservation of the language and culture of the Indigenous communities in the region.
He Was Searching for His Missing Son
Federico García Parra had become involved in the search for missing people after his own son, Luis Fernando García Sánchez, disappeared in September 2025.
According to reports from relatives and community members, Luis Fernando was taken by armed men on September 10, 2025, in the community of Tlatlauquitepec, in the municipality of Atlixtac. He has remained missing since then.
García Parra participated in search efforts alongside the Luciérnaga collective and the Tlachinollan Mountain Human Rights Center, seeking information about his son and supporting other families facing the disappearance of relatives.
For months, he searched for answers about his son’s disappearance and accompanied other families who were experiencing the same uncertainty.
He Had Reported Violence in the Region
For years, García Parra had publicly denounced the violence affecting Huitzapula and communities in Zapotitlán Tablas.
He had become one of the most visible voices of Huitzapula, reporting attacks attributed by residents to the criminal organization Los Ardillos.
According to reports, residents had previously denounced attacks from the surrounding hills and the use of drones to carry out attacks in the area.
The teacher’s killing was reported by residents and relatives in a statement in which they warned about a series of armed attacks against inhabitants of the Mountain region.
They stated that criminals continued killing innocent people in broad daylight and that the teacher was murdered as he left the school. According to the community’s statement, the attackers were dressed as community police officers.
Residents also alleged that the criminal groups operate in Zapotitlán Tablas, Atlixtac and Acatepec, allegedly with the complicity of municipal authorities. These are allegations made by community members and have not been established as judicial findings.
Attack After Leaving School
According to police reports, García Parra was attacked by armed men when he left the school where he taught in the municipal seat of Zapotitlán Tablas.
Reports indicate that during the initial attack, García Parra was wounded and managed to run, but the armed men pursued him and shot him again.
Authorities have not publicly announced any arrests or established a motive for the killing.
The murder generated outrage among relatives, residents and community authorities, who demanded a full investigation, justice and security measures for Indigenous communities in the region.
A Community Facing Continued Violence
Residents said García Parra’s murder was not an isolated incident.
On June 25, 2026, three Indigenous men from Huitzapula were killed during an armed attack on the Ayotoxtla-Huitzapula highway.
Residents had also reported an attack on April 30, 2026, when drones allegedly dropped explosive devices toward Huitzapula.
The community has described the continuing violence as a humanitarian crisis, demanding immediate attention from state and federal authorities and a concrete security plan to stop the attacks.
Community members have also criticized what they describe as a lack of effective response from government authorities, arguing that their demands for security have repeatedly been met with promises rather than lasting solutions.
On August 17, Mexico’s Secretary of the Interior Rosa Icela Rodríguez Velázquez and Guerrero Governor Evelyn Salgado Pineda launched the Plan Maestro, intended to address security conditions in the municipalities of Chilapa, Atlixtac, Zapotitlán Tablas and Olinalá
Source: reforma
