Violence Rocks Huitzilac, Mexico Amid Local Elections and Rising Tensions
HUITZILAC, Mexico — Schools and businesses in Huitzilac, Morelos, remained closed on Tuesday following a brutal attack that left five people dead on the town’s main street. This tragedy occurred just eight months after another violent assault on the same street claimed eight lives.
Huitzilac, located south of Mexico City, is a hotspot for criminal activity, including illegal logging and turf wars among rival groups. The latest victims were campaigning for positions managing the community’s collective resources, including nearby forests, ahead of the March elections.
On Monday afternoon, four men and one woman, all affiliated with one of the competing groups in the local elections, were canvassing door-to-door when gunmen in two vehicles intercepted and fatally shot them. Blanca Delgadillo, 70, whose son-in-law José Cuevas was among those killed, lamented the escalating violence. “I told them years ago not to participate; there are always problems,” she said.
Mayor César Dávila Díaz, who assumed office on January 1, condemned the attack, describing it as a blow to the community’s already fragile security. While dismissing the involvement of drug cartels or political motives, he admitted to being uncertain about the perpetrators’ intent.
On Tuesday, five candles and bloodstains on the pavement marked the scene of the attack. Two hundred National Guard members were deployed to bolster local and state police efforts in patrolling the area.
Huitzilac resident José Romero, 53, recounted hearing gunfire while watching television. He noted the town’s fluctuating security levels, which depend on the presence of security forces.
This incident follows another attack last May when eight people were killed after a soccer match. The rising violence highlights the challenges facing President Claudia Sheinbaum, who took office amidst widespread criminal activity across Mexico. Rival cartels, including Sinaloa and Jalisco New Generation, continue to battle for control in multiple states.
On the same day, body parts of unidentified victims were discovered along a highway in Tabasco, prompting the deployment of 180 soldiers to curb the violence in that region.
