Mexican Mayor Shot Dead in Cartel Drug Route Area

The mayor of San Miguel Amatitlan, Joel Bravo, has been shot dead in southern Mexico. The location of the shooting is in the state of Oaxaca, a region where drug cartels are battling for control of trafficking routes.

San Miguel Amatitlan is a town of nearly 7,000 inhabitants. Prosecutors stated that Joel Bravo died in an armed attack, but did not provide further details about the incident.

“In Oaxaca, we will not allow violence to defeat the law or the will of our people,” said state Governor Salomon Jara in a post on X, condemning the murder.

The public prosecutor’s office said the police presence in the area has been increased. Tactical teams have also been deployed, working in coordination with federal forces to track down the attackers.

Both the Jalisco Nueva Generacion and Sinaloa cartels are known to be active in Oaxaca, which borders the Pacific Ocean.

Nearly 100 mayors have been murdered in Mexico since 2006, when drug-related violence exploded in the country.