Mexico Roundup: General elections, UK ambassador fired, bloodshed
Genocide case against Israel
Mexico has joined South Africa's genocide case against Israel in the International Court of Justice, citing deliberate obstruction of humanitarian assistance and destruction of cultural heritage. Mexico is a signatory to the Genocide Convention and has the right to intervene in cases discussing its interpretation. The move comes as Israel has intensified its attack in the Gaza Strip, leading to protests outside the Israeli embassy in Mexico. The protests were in response to an Israeli strike that killed 45 people in a displacement camp outside Rafah, World Biz reports.
UK ambassador to Mexico dismissed
The UK ambassador to Mexico has been dismissed following allegations that he pointed a gun at a local embassy employee. A video of the incident has been circulating on social media. According to the Financial Times, the video was initially shared on X earlier this week by an anonymous account with the username @subdiplomatic, which was recently created. The footage purportedly shows Jon Benjamin, the UK's ambassador to Mexico, sitting in the passenger seat of a stationary SUV and smiling as he points a gun at someone in the back seat.
Upcoming general elections
Mexico's presidential election is set for Sunday, and a woman is likely to be elected president for the first time. Mexicans living abroad, including those in the Bay Area, will have a voice in this historic election. ABC 7 News reports that they can cast their votes at Mexican consulates, such as those in San Francisco and San Jose. "I think this election is going to be the most historic of all," said Francisco Moreno Castillo, executive director of the Council of Mexican Federations in North America. The two leading candidates are women: Claudia Sheinbaum, supported by current president Andrés Manuel López Obrador, and opposition candidate Xóchitl Gálvez. The third candidate is Jorge Álvarez Máynez. This will be the first year that eligible Mexican citizens can vote in a presidential election in person outside of Mexico.
Bloodshed on final day of election campaigns
Mexico's campaign season ended in tragedy as a gunman fatally shot an aspiring mayor at a rally on May 29, just days before the country is expected to elect its first woman president. The Buenos Aires Times reports that this attack raises the number of murdered candidates to at least 24 during an exceptionally violent electoral process in the Latin American nation, according to official figures. However, other sources suggest the number could be higher. Alfredo Cabrera, a mayoral candidate for an opposition coalition, was killed in the southern state of Guerrero, inciting chaos and panic among the rally attendees. The incident was captured on camera, showing Cabrera smiling and surrounded by supporters before being shot multiple times. The state prosecutor's office reported that "the alleged assailant was killed at the scene." Additionally, three people were injured, and two others were detained, according to witnesses.
Church calls for votes
Just eight days before Mexico was set to vote on June 2, the president of the Mexican Bishops’ Conference issued an urgent appeal to priests and bishops. “I respectfully invite all of our country’s priests and bishops to respect the electoral laws and citizens’ free vote,” said conference president Archbishop Rogelio López Cabrera of Monterrey in a post on X, formerly known as Twitter. Following the archbishop's appeal, the conference released a statement on May 28, emphasizing, “We are convinced that respect for freedom of conscience and electoral laws is essential to build a more just, peaceful, and supportive society.” Mexicans are about to participate in what promises to be a historic election, likely to result in the election of the country's first female president. The frontrunner, Claudia Sheinbaum, would also be Mexico's first Jewish head of state, while her main rival, Xóchitl Gálvez, is Catholic, OSV News reports.
