Third mayor in Mexico killed in two weeks

A mayor in Mexico was shot to death in his car on Monday

José Santamaria Zavala was the third mayor to be killed in less than two weeks
José Santamaria Zavala was the third mayor to be killed in less than two weeks

The mayor of a small city in Mexico, was shot to death on Monday 1 August, authorities said.

The body of 44-year-old José Santamaria Zavala, a member of the Citizen’s Movement leftist party was found in his 4x4.

His death was the third person holding such a position to be murdered in less then two weeks in the country.

In this particular case, the mayor of Huehuetlan El Grande, in the state of Puebla, is thought to be the victim of an attempted robbery gone bad.

“Rocks were placed in the way of his 4x4 to create an obstruction,” investigation authorities said in a statement.

However, in Mexico, mayors are targeted by organised crime. Since 2006, Le Monde said, when a war on narcotics was declared by former president Felipe Calderon, 41 mayors were murdered, seven of which were just elected.