The mayor of a Mexican city plagued by drug violence has been murdered less than a week after taking office.

Alejandro Arcos was found dead on Sunday in Chilpancingo, a city of around 280,000 people in the southwestern state of Guerrero. He had been mayor for six days.

Evelyn Salgado, the state governor, said the city was in mourning over a murder that “fills us with indignation”. His death came three days after the city government’s new secretary, Francisco Tapia, was shot dead.

Authorities have not released details of the investigation, or suspects. However, Guerrero is one of the worst-affected states for drug violence and drug cartels have murdered dozens of politicians across the country.

  • Not_mikey@slrpnk.net
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    24 days ago

    They might be only able to do those other things since they are able to pay an army to terrorize, intimidate and bribe local and state government’s into allowing them to exist and set up these protection racquets. It takes a lot of money to be able to be more powerful then a government, I don’t think selling avocados or logging could generate that much

    • Mango@lemmy.world
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      23 days ago

      Selling anything necessary can generate a lot of you’re making sure you can’t have competition. That’s the whole trick of the protection racket. It’s what police do here. They’re dressed up more, but do the same.

    • Delta_V@lemmy.world
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      24 days ago

      Avocados and logging also don’t need to worry about getting shut down by the law like the cocaine and heroin business does.

      Legalize the coke and dope, and the incentive to resort to violence to avoid criminal penalties goes away.