At least five people died and 50 were injured when a stage collapsed during a rally by Mexican presidential candidate Jorge Álvarez Máynez, reported the country's president, Andrés Manuel López Obrador. On X, the president cited a report from the governor of the state of Nuevo León, Samuel García, indicating that "four deaths and 15 injuries were reported."
Lamento el accidente en San Pedro Garza García, causado por un fuerte viento durante el acto al que asistieron Jorge Álvarez Máynez, candidato a la presidencia por Movimiento Ciudadano y otros militantes, dirigentes y candidatos de ese partido. Según me informa Samuel García,…
— Andrés Manuel (@lopezobrador_) May 23, 2024
However, the number of injuries and deaths increased as the hours passed, and some local media already reported nine deaths and more than 50 injured.
Images spread on social media show the moment when the towers that supported the temple collapse due to wind and a giant screen falls on the stage where Álvarez Máynez and other Citizen Movement candidates were.
Stage collapses at political event in Nuevo Leon, Mexico.
At least 4 are dead, dozens injured.pic.twitter.com/SoBcOwsIER
— Citizen Free Press (@CitizenFreePres) May 23, 2024
Álvarez Máynez, 38, is third in the polls ahead of the June 2 elections. His team managed to get to safety after running away.
Here's another angle on the stage collapse in Mexico tonight.
At least 4 are dead.
Mexican presidential candidate escapes at the last second.pic.twitter.com/q9fo3W7iUx
— Citizen Free Press (@CitizenFreePres) May 23, 2024
The accident occurred in the town of San Pedro Garza, part of the metropolitan area of the industrial city of Monterrey, in the state of Nuevo León. The event was the closing of the campaign of the Citizen Movement candidate for mayor of San Pedro, Lorenia Canavati, who was accompanied by Álvarez Máynez. Candidates for senators and deputies from the same party also participated.
"There was a tragedy, preliminarily we have five people dead and approximately 50 with different types of injuries, some serious, others mild," the governor of Nuevo León, Samuel García, told the press from the scene. García previously explained that strong winds knocked down the stage and asked people to take shelter because thunderstorms and intense rain were recorded in the area.
"I am fine and in communication with state authorities to follow up on what happened. The only important thing right now is to care for the victims," Álvarez Máynez wrote on social media.
Mi reconocimiento a la respuesta del @Tu_IMSS. Estoy en la Clínica 7 y como reporta el director, se han habilitado diversas unidades para la atención inmediata de las personas lesionadas. https://t.co/NJuSQBoHxH
— Jorge Álvarez Máynez (@AlvarezMaynez) May 23, 2024
The candidate added that the members of his team who were injured are being treated at a hospital. "I am heading back to the scene of the events to accompany the victims," he added.
His party said in a statement that it would suspend all campaign events "in solidarity with those affected."
Hysteria and panic
As reported by AFP, Citizen Movement Deputy Javier González Alcántara told Televisa that rescuers evacuated the injured who were under the temple, in the middle of a broad operation. "We were able to remove all the people who were under the stage and take the injured to the hospitals," he said.
José Juan, one of those attending the political event, narrated how the structure suddenly collapsed on the candidates and the public: "Suddenly it collapsed, hit me on the head and I fainted. The rest was pure hysteria, pure panic," he told Televisa.
The other candidates for the presidency of Mexico expressed their condolences for the incident.
"I hope everything is well with the candidates attending the Citizen Movement event in Nuevo León," Claudia Sheinbaum, candidate of the left-wing ruling party, wrote on X. She also announced the suspension of her next campaign event.
En solidaridad con lo acontecido esta noche en el evento de Movimiento Ciudadano en San Pedro, Nuevo León. Hemos decidido cancelar el mitin programado para mañana a las 6pm en Monterrey.
Nuestra solidaridad a los familiares y amigos de las víctimas, y a los militantes y…
— Dra. Claudia Sheinbaum (@Claudiashein) May 23, 2024
"With all my heart I hope that there are no serious injuries due to what happened at the Citizen Movement event in Nuevo León," said center-right opposition candidate Xóchitl Gálvez on the same platform.
De todo corazón deseo que no haya heridos de gravedad por lo ocurrido en el evento de @MovCiudadanoMX en Nuevo León.
Mi solidaridad con @AlvarezMaynez , los candidatos de su partido en el estado y los asistentes al evento.
A la población de la zona metropolitana de Monterrey…
— Xóchitl Gálvez Ruiz (@XochitlGalvez) May 23, 2024
Mexico is preparing to hold the largest elections in its history on June 2, in which the president, legislators, nine of 32 governors and thousands of local officials will be elected.
In total, just over 20,000 positions are up for grabs, in a campaign marked by organized crime and violence. At least 70 people have been killed in cases related to electoral violence. Of them, 33 were candidates.
