Deadly end to Mexico campaign as local candidate shot
The leading candidates in Mexico’s presidential election have concluded their final campaign rallies ahead of Sunday’s vote. The campaign has been marked by violence, including the recent assassination of a mayoral candidate in Guerrero state.
Nationally, either Claudia Sheinbaum, an ally of the left-wing incumbent President Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador, or Xóchitl Gálvez, a former senator from the main centre-right party, is poised to become Mexico’s first female president.
Sheinbaum, the frontrunner, addressed supporters in Mexico City’s central Zócalo Square, praising the positive changes since President Obrador’s election in 2018. She emphasised her commitment to leading Mexico towards peace, security, democracy, freedom, and justice.
Gálvez, who has been critical of President Obrador’s handling of organised crime, held her closing rally in Monterrey. She promised to be a courageous president who would defend and protect Mexican families.
In addition to the presidential race, voters will also elect hundreds of congressional representatives and thousands of local officials.
The campaign has been the most violent in Mexico’s history, with around 200 public servants, politicians, and candidates assassinated.
The next president will face significant challenges, including a stagnant economy, rising violence, and managing the flow of migrants through Mexico to the United States.