A federal congressman was assassinated late on Monday in Mexico’s Gulf Coast state of Veracruz, the latest killing in an outbreak of political violence in the country.
The Veracruz attorney general’s office confirmed the death of Benito Aguas, a member of the leftist government’s ruling coalition in the 500-member lower house of Congress, in a post on social media.
Another man identified as Agustin Linares was also found dead at the scene, according to the attorney general’s office, adding that an investigation into the suspected murders was ongoing.
Local media reported that Aguas was shot multiple times in the mountainous municipality of Zongolica in central Veracruz and died later from his wounds.
“We trust that the relevant investigations will be carried out so that justice prevails,” lower house leader Ricardo Monreal wrote in a post on social media.
Aguas was a member of Mexico’s Green Party, part of the ruling coalition led by the Morena Party of President Claudia Sheinbaum, who took office in October.
Sheinbaum said she had instructed security officials to work with Veracruz’s governor to ensure justice in the case.
“We are very sorry about what happened,” she told a press conference.
Mexico has suffered a wave of violence with hundreds killed in intra-cartel warfare in western Sinaloa state, and frequent episodes of violence elsewhere in the country where gangs fight over lucrative smuggling routes and other criminal rackets.
Politicians have frequently been targeted, with dozens killed ahead of last June’s general election.
The murder of a mayor in Mexico’s southern Guerrero state days after he took office in October sparked outrage and doubts over Sheinbaum’s security policies.
(Reporting by Brendan O’Boyle)
