World
Two Mexican mayoral contenders found dead on same day
Killing of Noe Ramos Ferretiz in Tamaulipas and of Alberto Garcia in Oaxaca bring to 17 the number of slain candidates ahead of June 2 polls.
Two mayoral contenders have been found dead in a single day in Mexico, adding to the toll of slain candidates in what is shaping up to be the country’s most violent election on record.
The deaths reported in different parts of the country on Friday bring to 17 the number of candidates killed in the lead-up to the presidential, congressional and local polls on June 2.
In the northern state of Tamaulipas, authorities said they had launched a manhunt for the person who killed candidate Noe Ramos Ferretiz. He was seeking re-election as mayor of Ciudad Mante for a coalition of the opposition National Action Party and Institutional Revolutionary Party (PRI).
Local media reported he had been stabbed and posted photos showing a bloodied body lying on a sidewalk.
“We will not allow violence to decide these elections,” PRI party leader Alejandro Moreno wrote on social media, where he confirmed the “cowardly assassination” of Ramos Ferretiz.
The second slain candidate, Alberto Garcia, was found dead a day after he was reported missing. He was running for mayor of San Jose Independencia in the southern state of Oaxaca.
The state electoral board condemned the death of Garcia, who went missing along with his wife, the current mayor of San Jose Independencia and and who was found alive. The board called Garcia’s death a “killing”, and said such crimes “should not occur during elections”.
Bodyguards for candidates
Violence linked to organised crime in Mexico has long killed politicians from various parties, especially those who hold or are seeking regional positions.
Drug cartels have often carried out such assassination attempts in a bid to control local police or extort money from municipal governments.
President Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador acknowledged in early April that the cartels often seek to determine who will serve as mayor – either by running their own candidates or eliminating potential rivals.
“They make an agreement and say, ‘this person is going to be mayor; we don’t want anyone else to register to run’, and anybody who does, well, they know [what to expect],” he said.
The recent slayings have prompted the government to provide bodyguards for about 250 candidates, while those running for municipal positions – the most endangered – are the last in line for security.
Earlier this month, candidate Bertha Gaytan was shot dead on the first day of her campaign. She was running for mayor of Celaya, a city in the north-central state of Guanajuato.
Also in April, the mayor of Churumuco, a town in the western state of Michoacan, was shot dead at a taco restaurant in the state capital, Morelia.
In late February, in another town in Michoacan, two mayoral hopefuls were shot dead within hours of each other.
A 25-year-old man who was declared dead and about to be cremated in India this week was found to be still alive by witnesses, according to reports.
Rohitash Kumar, 25, who was deaf and mute, was declared dead at a hospital in the state of Rajasthan in the northwestern part of India without a post-mortem examination, according to The Times of India.
Once it was clear Kumar was alive at his cremation on Thursday afternoon, his family reportedly took him back to a hospital where he died early Friday morning.
COLORADO FUNERAL HOME OWNERS PLEAD GUILTY TO CORPSE ABUSE AFTER NEARLY 200 BODIES FOUND DECOMPOSING
A crematorium in India. (Rupak De Chowdhuri/NurPhoto via Getty Images)
Three doctors involved in declaring Kumar dead at the Bhagwan Das Khetan district hospital have since been suspended, the newspaper reported.
Kumar had suffered an epileptic seizure and was declared dead after he flatlined while doctors were performing CPR on him, the Daily Mail reported, citing the AFP news service.
Relatives carry the body of a person who died of COVID-19 as multiple pyres of other victims burn at a crematorium in New Delhi, India, in 2021. (AP Photo/Amit Sharma, File)
10 NEWBORN BABIES DIE IN INDIA AFTER FIRE RIPS THROUGH HOSPITAL NEONATAL UNIT
“The situation was nothing short of a miracle,” a witness at the funeral pyre told local news outlet ETV Bharat. “We all were in shock. He was declared dead, but there he was, breathing and alive.”
Ramavtar Meena, a government official in Rajasthan’s Jhunjhunu district, called the incident “serious negligence.”
The state of Rajasthan in northwestern India. (Vishal Bhatnagar/NurPhoto via Getty Images)
“Action will be taken against those responsible. The working style of the doctors will also be thoroughly investigated,” he said.
Meena added that a committee had been formed to investigate the incident.
Violence against women and girls remains largely unreported due to the impunity, silence, stigma and shame surrounding it.
Thousands marched across France and Italy protesting violence against women on Saturday – two days before the International Day for the Elimination of Violence Against Women.
Those demonstrating protested all forms of violence against women – whether it be sexual, physical, psychological and economic.
The United Nations designated 25 November as the International Day for the Elimination of Violence Against Women. The goal is to raise awareness of the violence women are subjected to and the reality that the scale and nature of the issue is often hidden.
Activists demonstrated partially naked in Rome, hooded in balaclavas to replicate the gesture of Iranian student Ahoo Daryaei, who stripped in front of a university in Tehran to protest the country’s regime.
In France, demonstrations were planned in dozens of cities like Paris, Marseille and Lille.
More than 400 organisations reportedly called for demonstrations across the country amidst widespread shock caused by the Pelicot mass rape trial.
Violence against women and girls remains one of the most prevalent and pervasive human rights violations in the world, according to the United Nations. Globally, almost one in three women have been subjected to physical and/or sexual violence at least once in their life.
For at least 51,100 women in 2023, the cycle of gender-based violence ended with their murder by partners or family members. That means a woman was killed every ten minutes.
With talks teetering, climate negotiators struck a controversial $300 billion deal
Family of woman who went missing on cross-country vacation says cryptic texts sent from phone unlike her
Georgia senator seeks death penalty for Laken Riley's killer, calls on attorney general to step in
PA Education Department agrees to cancel requirement for teachers to adopt guidelines deemed 'woke'
Santa Clarita man charged for dealing drug 3 times more powerful than fentanyl, 1 fatal overdose
Colorado Rockies game no. 116 thread: Zac Gallen vs José Ureña
See it: Tesla crashes into Columbus convention center at 70 mph
Fox News Politics: Georgia the whole day through
Why Marjorie Taylor Greene was ‘kicked out’ of the Freedom Caucus according to Rep. Buck
Death of missing Oregon girl found in stream ruled homicide
With talks teetering, climate negotiators struck a controversial $300 billion deal
Trump administration takes shape: President-elect completes top 15 Cabinet picks
Thousands march across Europe protesting violence against women
Fred Harris, former Democratic U.S. senator and presidential candidate, dies at 94
Ric Grenell under consideration to be Trump's point man on Ukraine: report
-
Business1 week agoColumn: Molly White's message for journalists going freelance — be ready for the pitfalls
-
Science4 days agoTrump nominates Dr. Oz to head Medicare and Medicaid and help take on 'illness industrial complex'
-
Politics6 days agoTrump taps FCC member Brendan Carr to lead agency: 'Warrior for Free Speech'
-
/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_asset/file/25739950/247386_Elon_Musk_Open_AI_CVirginia.jpg "Inside Elon Musk’s messy breakup with OpenAI")
Technology6 days agoInside Elon Musk’s messy breakup with OpenAI
-
Lifestyle7 days agoSome in the U.S. farm industry are alarmed by Trump's embrace of RFK Jr. and tariffs
-
World6 days agoProtesters in Slovakia rally against Robert Fico’s populist government
-
News6 days agoThey disagree about a lot, but these singers figure out how to stay in harmony
-
News6 days agoGaetz-gate: Navigating the President-elect's most baffling Cabinet pick