A mayor in Mexico was assassinated just six days after taking office.

Alejandro Arcos was elected mayor on September 30. Chilpancingo is the capital of the state of Guerrero in southern Mexico, known for its high levels of violent crime. Three days before Arcos's murder, the new city government secretary, Francisco Tapia, was shot dead. In total, six candidates were killed in the lead-up to the elections in the state.

Murders of politicians in Mexico are often linked to cartel activities. Between June 2023 and June 2024, 63 political figures were killed in Mexico, making this electoral cycle the bloodiest in the country's modern history. Of these murders, 37 involved candidates for elected positions.

In the days leading up to his death, Arcos was overseeing the response efforts to Hurricane "John," Reuters reports. The hurricane caused flooding in the resort city of Acapulco and nearby towns.