- In May 2024, a mayoral candidate in Guerrero was murdered mid-campaign.
- Days later, the mayor of Cotija in Michoacán was executed walking home from the gym.
- In October, the brand-new mayor of Chilpancingo was gunned down less than a week into her term.
These killings are rarely solved. Witnesses go silent. Investigations stall. Prosecutors vanish. It’s not a system of justice—it’s a state of paralysis.
⚖️ Legal Breakdown: Political Assassinations and State Responsibility
From a legal perspective, Mexico’s inability to prevent these assassinations—and failure to prosecute the perpetrators—may constitute a breach of international obligations under human rights treaties.
Under Article 6 of the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (ICCPR), every government has a duty to protect its citizens’ right to life. When elected officials or political candidates are systematically targeted—and no real preventive measures are enacted—the state can be held accountable.
Additionally, Article 25 of the ICCPR guarantees every citizen the right to participate freely in public affairs. If cartel violence silences candidates, the Mexican government could be in violation of this provision as well.
Moreover, Mexico’s ruling Morena party, led by President Sheinbaum, is now seeing a disturbing concentration of victims within its own ranks—raising questions about whether the cartels have turned on their former allies or if rival factions are using executions as political chess moves.
