Oaxaca Mayor Assassinated in City Hall Attack

Lilia Gema García Soto, the mayor of San Mateo Piñas in Oaxaca, Mexico, was shot dead inside city hall on Sunday morning by a group of armed men who killed her and another official, Eli García Ramírez, and injured two police officers. The attackers reportedly arrived on motorcycles and, according to some accounts, were dressed as police, overpowering municipal guards before fleeing the scene. This marks the second killing of a mayor in Oaxaca this year, reflecting a broader surge in violence against local officials across Mexico, often linked to criminal gangs seeking to control territory or influence governance. In response, Oaxaca's governor and state authorities condemned the attack, launched security operations, and called for justice. Military and federal agents have been deployed to assist in the search for the perpetrators. The ongoing violence highlights persistent threats to local leaders in regions plagued by powerful drug trafficking and criminal groups.