The mayor of Cotija in Michoacán state, Yolanda Sánchez Figueroa, was fatally shot on Monday, authorities reported, just hours after Claudia Sheinbaum was elected as Mexico’s first female president in a race marred by deadly attacks on candidates.
Sánchez Figueroa was walking home from a gym with her bodyguard when they were attacked by individuals in a white van. Both were taken to the hospital, where they later succumbed to their injuries, according to a statement from the state attorney general. An investigation into the shooting has been launched.
This tragic incident came shortly after Claudia Sheinbaum’s landslide victory, marking a significant milestone in a country grappling with patriarchal norms and widespread violence against women. Sheinbaum is set to take office on October 1, succeeding President Andrés Manuel López Obrador. Her administration will face the daunting task of addressing gang violence, unsolved disappearances, and bolstering domestic and border security.
Mexico’s homicide rate is among the highest globally, with around 10 women murdered daily. More than 100,000 people remain missing, and approximately 95% of crimes went unsolved in 2022, according to the think tank Mexico Evalua.
Sánchez Figueroa had previously been kidnapped in September 2023 in Zapopan and was released three days later. Local authorities, including the Michoacán government, condemned the attack and announced a coordinated security operation with federal agencies to apprehend those responsible.
