Newly elected mayor of Temixco, Mexico, Gisela Mota, was shot and killed Saturday during her second day in office. According to reports, she was attacked by four gunmen at her home, two of which were killed on the scene by Mexican authorities. The other two men were apprehended shortly after the shooting.
Temixco is a city located 59 miles from Mexico’s capital, Mexico City. It has become a heavily disputed drug territory for the past few years, and more than two cartels have a hand in criminal activity there. Morelos, the state in which Temixco resides, shares a border with known cartel run state Guerrero. During her campaign Mota, who was a member of the Democratic Revolution Party, swore that when elected she would begin the process of cleaning up the streets of Temixco. Her righteous ambition was most likely her downfall, being that several other mayors have been assassinated in the same fashion. The majority of the mayoral assassinations over the past year in Mexico have been chalked up to violence brought about by cartels by Mexican authorities, and this lack of consistent leadership allows gangs to continue to finance drug trade and operate out of these local communities.
The names of the two gunmen captured have yet to be released, but the Mexican authorities have officially issued a statement saying that they were hired gunmen paid for by one of Mexico’s many drug cartels. Due to lack of testimony their exact motive is still unknown. Hopefully Mexican authorities can get a handle on this problem of violence against the government in 2016 so that the country can finally get a handle on completely cleaning its streets of organized crime.
