Posted by DD Republished from SRN News and BBC News
MEXICO CITY (AP) — The mayor of a town in one of Mexico’s most violent drug corridors was shot to death, the second mayor killed in Mexico over the weekend.
Ambrosio Soto was mayor of a township that includes Ciudad Altamirano, a known haven for drug traffickers in southern Guerrero state.
Roberto Alvarez, spokesman for southern Guerrero state, said Sunday that gunmen blocked a highway just over the state line in neighboring Michoacan state with pickup trucks and opened fire on the mayor’s vehicle late Saturday. He said two federal officers serving as Soto’s bodyguards were wounded in the attack.
Soto had received threats and was under protection from federal police. A local drug gang had reportedly threatened him because he refused to turn over part of the city budget as a protection payment.
In recent years, business owners in Ciudad Altamirano say they have been forced to pay extortion to the Knights Templar drug cartel.
The leftist Democratic Revolution Party said the mayor had taken “special protection measures after he dared to file complaints and complained that the security patrols had abandoned the area.
The party said 75 mayors have been killed in the last decade.
On Saturday, a mayor and four others were shot to death in the town of San Juan Chamula in southern Chiapas state.
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BBC reported that Mayors in Mexico have demanded they be given extra protection after two of their number were killed in separate incidents on Saturday.
The National Association of Mayors asked the federal government to offer added security to mayors "at risk".
The association asked the government "to prepare and put in place security protocols for mayors" and to investigate the killings.
Ambushed
An armed gang ambushed the mayor of Pungabarato, Ambrosio Soto, on Saturday evening as he was traveling along the main motorway.
The men blocked the motorway with lorries and opened fire on Mr Soto's car, killing him and his driver.
Two weeks previously, Mr Soto had said on Twitter that he had been threatened "by organized crime" and that his cousin had been killed.
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"It's time to act, Mr President @EPN," he said addressing Mexican President Enrique Pena Nieto.
"#TierraCaliente needs you.
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| Police were on patrol in San Juan Chamula Chiapas after the mayor there was shot on Saturday |
MEXICO CITY (AP) — The mayor of a town in one of Mexico’s most violent drug corridors was shot to death, the second mayor killed in Mexico over the weekend.
Ambrosio Soto was mayor of a township that includes Ciudad Altamirano, a known haven for drug traffickers in southern Guerrero state.
Roberto Alvarez, spokesman for southern Guerrero state, said Sunday that gunmen blocked a highway just over the state line in neighboring Michoacan state with pickup trucks and opened fire on the mayor’s vehicle late Saturday. He said two federal officers serving as Soto’s bodyguards were wounded in the attack.
Soto had received threats and was under protection from federal police. A local drug gang had reportedly threatened him because he refused to turn over part of the city budget as a protection payment.
In recent years, business owners in Ciudad Altamirano say they have been forced to pay extortion to the Knights Templar drug cartel.
The leftist Democratic Revolution Party said the mayor had taken “special protection measures after he dared to file complaints and complained that the security patrols had abandoned the area.
The party said 75 mayors have been killed in the last decade.
On Saturday, a mayor and four others were shot to death in the town of San Juan Chamula in southern Chiapas state.
********
BBC reported that Mayors in Mexico have demanded they be given extra protection after two of their number were killed in separate incidents on Saturday.
The National Association of Mayors asked the federal government to offer added security to mayors "at risk".
The association asked the government "to prepare and put in place security protocols for mayors" and to investigate the killings.
Ambushed
An armed gang ambushed the mayor of Pungabarato, Ambrosio Soto, on Saturday evening as he was traveling along the main motorway.
The men blocked the motorway with lorries and opened fire on Mr Soto's car, killing him and his driver.
Two weeks previously, Mr Soto had said on Twitter that he had been threatened "by organized crime" and that his cousin had been killed.
"It's time to act, Mr President @EPN," he said addressing Mexican President Enrique Pena Nieto.
"#TierraCaliente needs you.
Mr Pena Nieto has said the area is "one of the greatest challenges" in terms of security.
Extortion
Local press reported that Mr Soto had received threats after he had refused to hand over part of his budget to a local drugs gang.
Mr Soto had a police escort of two Federal officers in a patrol car at the time of his killing. They were both wounded in the attack.
The state governor of Guerrero said Mr Soto was also given protection by Guerrero state police, but that he had asked them to watch over his family while he travelled to a neighbouring town to attend to some personal business.
His killing came just hours after that of the mayor of the town of San Juan Chamula, Domingo Lopez, and his deputy, Narciso Lunes, in southern Chiapas state.
The two officials were holding a meeting with protesting residents in the main square of San Juan Chamula when unidentified gunmen opened fire.
A total of four people were killed and a dozen injured.
The motive behind the killing is not clear.
Mr Soto had a police escort of two Federal officers in a patrol car at the time of his killing. They were both wounded in the attack.
The state governor of Guerrero said Mr Soto was also given protection by Guerrero state police, but that he had asked them to watch over his family while he travelled to a neighbouring town to attend to some personal business.
His killing came just hours after that of the mayor of the town of San Juan Chamula, Domingo Lopez, and his deputy, Narciso Lunes, in southern Chiapas state.
The two officials were holding a meeting with protesting residents in the main square of San Juan Chamula when unidentified gunmen opened fire.
A total of four people were killed and a dozen injured.
The motive behind the killing is not clear.