Child among at least 9 dead at Mexico election rally
At least nine individuals, including a child, have died and around 50 have been injured following the partial collapse of a stage at an election rally in Nuevo León, Mexico, according to the local governor.
The incident took place in San Pedro Garza García, near Monterrey, as centre-left presidential candidate Jorge Alvarez Maynez was delivering a speech.
Maynez was unharmed and was seen speaking to supporters after the collapse. However, several members of his team sustained injuries.
According to Maynez, a sudden gust of wind caused the collapse.
Footage has surfaced showing the moment the lighting structure collapsed while several individuals were on stage. Video clips on social media show Maynez waving to supporters before running to the back of the stage for safety as the structure began to fall.
State Governor Samuel Garcia confirmed that the victims included eight adults and one child. He also noted that three of the injured required surgery following his visit to a local hospital.
Governor Garcia advised local residents to stay indoors due to thunderstorms and strong winds in the area.
Maynez, 38, is the candidate for the Citizens’ Movement party and currently ranks third in national polls behind Claudia Sheinbaum of the ruling Morena Party and Xóchitl Gálvez from the opposition coalition.
Initially, Garcia was the Citizens’ Movement Party’s candidate but nominated Maynez, his campaign coordinator, after a dispute over who would assume the governorship during the campaign. Mexican law mandates that officials must step down if they run for office.
Consequently, Maynez entered the presidential race in January, a relatively late start compared to Sheinbaum and Gálvez, who began their campaigns in September.
Since the collapse, Maynez announced the suspension of upcoming campaign events. Sheinbaum also cancelled her scheduled appearance in nearby Monterrey on Thursday.