Personal Secretary and Adviser to Mexico City Mayor Fatally Shot by Motorcycle Gunmen
Mexico City Shooting Sparks Concern Amid Political Violence
In a grim incident that rattled the heart of Mexico City, gunmen on a motorcycle targeted and killed the personal secretary and an adviser to Mayor Clara Brugada. The attack took place in the central Moderna neighborhood, marking a bold strike at the capital’s political core.
Mayor Brugada, an influential figure closely allied with President Claudia Sheinbaum in the Morena party, described the killings of Ximena Guzmán and José Muñoz as a “direct attack.” Authorities are currently piecing together surveillance footage to track down those responsible. Police photos revealed a car peppered with bullet holes-a stark reminder of the violence that unfolded on the city streets.
Brugada has vowed that justice will be served, emphasizing, “There will be no impunity. Those responsible will be arrested and must face justice.” Her words echo the sentiments of President Sheinbaum, who also expressed her grief during a morning press briefing. This tragic event adds to the series of violent attacks targeting politicians and their aides across Mexico.
The capital, while not immune to crime, rarely witnesses such brazen attacks on its political figures. The violence recalls a 2020 incident when gunmen from the Jalisco New Generation Cartel attempted to assassinate Sheinbaum’s police chief on a busy boulevard-an assault that left three dead and many shaken.
This week’s shooting came shortly after another horrifying scene unfolded in Guanajuato, where gunmen opened fire, killing seven people, including minors. Such incidents highlight the persistent threat facing public officials in Mexico. Political violence isn’t confined to the capital; it’s a nationwide scourge.
Recent months have seen numerous politicians fall victim to such violence. In Veracruz, just last week, a mayoral candidate and three supporters were shot dead at a campaign event. Days earlier, Cecilia Ruvalcaba, a councilmember from Jalisco, was gunned down in a hospital.
These chilling events are part of a troubling pattern. In April, Jose Luis Pereira, a senior Teocaltiche government official, was fatally shot while dining at a restaurant. December saw another blow with the murder of a congressman in Veracruz.
Political murders extend beyond individual acts of violence-they paint a grim picture of the broader security challenges facing Mexico. In Guerrero, a mayor was brutally murdered and decapitated; investigations later led to the arrest of a former prosecutor linked to the killing.
June 2024 was particularly bloody: A mayor was assassinated in southern Mexico days after another politician met the same fate. The wave of terror continued with the slaying of a councilwoman in Guerrero as she left her home and another mayor alongside her bodyguard outside a gym shortly after Sheinbaum’s presidential victory.
The deaths of Guzmán and Muñoz in Mexico City serve as another stark reminder that even within the capital’s fortified political circles, safety is not guaranteed. As authorities continue their investigations, residents are left grappling with both fear and anger over these relentless attacks on their leaders.
For more details, see this background on crime trends.
