Former mayor of Mexico’s Veracruz State murdered

A former mayor in the state of Veracruz, in eastern Mexico, was killed Monday night, a day after a mayoral candidate in the same region was shot dead during a political event, authorities said Tuesday.

Esteban Alfonseca Salazar, former mayor of the community of Actopan, was killed along with Edmundo Martinez, former councilman of the same municipality, said the local prosecutor's office.

According to Mexican press versions, both were attacked by gunmen when they were returning from a rally for Eduardo Utrera, candidate of Morena (President Claudia Sheinbaum's party), for mayor of Actopan.

"Actopan loses a great family man, of field work and leaves a beautiful family," said Eduardo Vega, undersecretary of industry and foreign trade of Veracruz, while mourning Alfonseca's death on Facebook.

The crime occurred just a day after Yesenia Lara, Morena candidate for mayor of Texistepec, was murdered when she was marching accompanied by a caravan of supporters.

The state of Veracruz, whose strategic location on the coast of the Gulf of Mexico makes it a territory disputed by violent drug trafficking cartels, will hold elections on June 1 to renew authorities in 212 municipalities.

The action of organized crime often affects local politics as the mafias seek to influence and control municipal authorities, either through corruption or threats.

More than 480,000 people have been killed in Mexico since December 2006, when a controversial anti-drug strategy was launched with the support of the military.