Mayor of San Miguel Amatitlan shot dead in Oaxaca

A mayor in southern Mexico was shot dead on Saturday, June 13, in a region where drug cartels are battling for control, marking the latest in a series of attacks on local politicians. Joel Bravo Martínez, the mayor of San Miguel Amatitlan in Oaxaca state, was killed in an armed attack outside his home, according to state prosecutors.

The Oaxaca state prosecutor's office stated it immediately activated high-impact crime investigation protocols following the killing. State and federal authorities have deployed additional police and tactical forces to the area to track down the assailants. The Mexican Security Cabinet said it is working with state officials to investigate the crime and ensure there is no impunity.

The attack occurred weeks after Bravo Martínez, a member of the opposition National Action Party (PAN), had reported fearing for his life and requested protection from the state government, according to a statement from his party. Authorities have not yet announced a motive for the killing.

Oaxaca Governor Salomón Jara condemned the violence, stating that an interagency operation was deployed to locate those responsible. He said authorities would not allow violence to...