The mayor of a town in western Mexico was killed on Monday, the regional government announced, just 24 hours after Claudia Sheinbaum was elected as the first female president of the Latin American country, adding to the ongoing wave of assassinations targeting local politicians since late last year.

The Michoacan state government condemned "the murder of the municipal president (mayor) of Cotija, Yolanda Sanchez Figueroa," the regional Interior Ministry posted on X.

The killing of the female mayor comes in the wake of Sheinbaum's landslide victory, which had sparked hope for change in a country plagued by gender-based violence.

Local media mentioned that Sanchez, who was elected mayor in the 2021 elections, was gunned down on a public road. Authorities have not provided details on the murder but stated that a security operation has been launched to apprehend the perpetrators.

🔴 #ÚltimaHora
En Cotija, #Michoacán fue asesinada la alcaldesa Yolanda Sánchez Figueroa con al menos 19 impactos de bala mientras ingresaba a un gimnasio. Falleció por las heridas en un hospital de #LosReyes. Apenas en septiembre pasado había sido secuestrada. pic.twitter.com/BMDl33xWfY

— Punto 4T (@Punto4T) June 4, 2024

Sanchez had previously been kidnapped in September last year while leaving a shopping mall in Guadalajara, Jalisco. She was found alive three days later, according to the federal government.

At the time, local media reported that the kidnappers were members of the powerful Jalisco Cartel - New Generation (CJNG), who allegedly threatened Sanchez for opposing the group's attempt to take over her municipality's police force.

Michoacan is known for its tourist attractions and thriving agro-export industry, but it is also one of the most violent states in Mexico due to the presence of extortion and drug trafficking gangs.

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