Final day of Mexico election campaigns marred by bloodshed: summary

What we know

• Mexico's campaign season concluded tragically when an individual opened fire at a political gathering on May 31, resulting in the death of a mayoral candidate. This incident occurred just two days before the anticipated election of the nation's first female president.
• Alfredo Cabrera, a candidate for mayor representing an opposition alliance, tragically lost his life to gunfire in Guerrero, a southern state, inciting turmoil and fear among the attendees of the political event.
• The murder was captured on camera, with the footage showing Cabrera smiling and flanked by fans before he was shot several times.
• The state prosecutor's office reported that the suspected attacker was fatally shot at the location. Additionally, three individuals sustained injuries and two were apprehended, as per accounts from eyewitnesses.
• The recent assassination brings the total number of candidates killed during the 2024 election season to 37, surpassing the 2021 midterm election count of 36, as reported by Integralia, a security consultancy firm.
• Based on the latest figures from Integralia, the current election season has seen 828 non-lethal attacks on political candidates, an increase from 749 recorded as of May 27.

What they said

The state prosecutor's office said that "the alleged assailant was killed at the scene." However, three people including Alfredo's wife were also injured and two others were detained, according to witnesses. In the heat of the violence, Claudia Sheinbaum, one of the top contenders in the presidential election pledged her willingness to tackle crimes at its roots in front of a cheering crowd at her rally when she said "We're going to make history. I say to the young women, to all the women of Mexico – colleagues, friends, sisters, daughters, mothers and grandmothers – you are not alone."