Valentín Lavín Romero, a mayor in the Mexican state of Morelos, was shot dead on Wednesday, months after surviving a previous assassination attempt in January. He is the 14th mayor murdered since President Claudia Sheinbaum took office in 2024.
Key facts
- Valentín Lavín Romero was shot dead on Wednesday in the Mexican state of Morelos.
- He is the 14th mayor to be murdered since Claudia Sheinbaum became president in October 2024.
- Lavín Romero survived a previous assassination attempt in late January, when hitmen shot him at a petrol station on a motorway.
- He was from the Green party, an ally of the ruling leftwing Morena party.
A mayor was shot dead on Wednesday in the Mexican state of Morelos, months after surviving a previous attempt on his life, according to the Guardian.
The victim, Valentín Lavín Romero, was a member of the Green party, an ally of Mexico’s ruling leftwing Morena party. His killing marks the 14th murder of a mayor since Claudia Sheinbaum became president in October 2024.
Lavín Romero had already been targeted earlier in the year. At the end of January, he was wounded when hitmen shot him at a petrol station on a motorway. He survived that attack, only to be killed months later.
The repeated targeting of the same official underscores the persistent dangers facing local officeholders in parts of Mexico, where mayors have been among those most exposed to violence.
The Guardian reported the killing on Wednesday, noting it as the latest in a series of murders of mayors during the current administration.
Why it matters
The killing highlights the continued vulnerability of local officials in Mexico, where 14 mayors have been murdered since President Sheinbaum took office in late 2024. The fact that Lavín Romero was targeted twice underscores the challenges authorities face in protecting elected officeholders.
Frequently asked questions
Who was Valentín Lavín Romero?
He was a mayor in the Mexican state of Morelos and a member of the Green party, an ally of the ruling leftwing Morena party. He was shot dead on Wednesday, according to the Guardian.
Had he been attacked before?
Yes. At the end of January, he was wounded when hitmen shot him at a petrol station on a motorway, but he survived that assassination attempt.
How many mayors have been killed under President Sheinbaum?
According to the Guardian, Lavín Romero is the 14th mayor to be murdered since Claudia Sheinbaum became president in October 2024.