Second Mexican Mayor Assassinated in 2 Days Amid Cartel Turf Violence

Authorities in Mexico are investigating the killing of a second municipal mayor in less than 48 hours, as violence linked to cartel power struggles continues to escalate across the country, as reported by The Independent Journal Review.

On Tuesday morning, Martha Laura Mendoza, mayor of Tepalcatepec in the western state of Michoacán, was shot and killed along with her husband by a group of armed gunmen. A third person traveling with the couple was also injured in the attack, according to Mexican officials.

Tepalcatepec, located near the border with the state of Jalisco, has long been a contested area among drug trafficking organizations.

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Mendoza’s killing is believed to be tied to ongoing conflicts between rival cartels battling for control of drug production and smuggling routes in the region.

Mendoza was also the sister-in-law of Juan Jose “El Abuelo” Farias, a known cartel figure who was initially seen as one of the founding leaders of the self-defense movement in Michoacán.

Mexican military forces arrested Farias in 2018 on drug and weapons charges, but he was released shortly after by a judge under questionable legal circumstances.

Authorities believe Farias, once affiliated with the Jalisco New Generation Cartel (CJNG), has since distanced himself from the group and now leads an independent organization.

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He is aligned with Carteles Unidos, a coalition of smaller cartels that seeks to resist CJNG dominance in the region.

Despite being wanted by U.S. authorities, Farias is believed to operate with relative impunity in Michoacán due to local influence and ties to elements of Mexico’s military.

Investigators suspect that Mendoza’s killing may have been an act of retaliation or part of the broader territorial conflict.

The murder in Tepalcatepec follows the assassination of another Mexican mayor just days earlier in southern Mexico. In that case, gunmen stormed city hall in San Mateo Piñas, Oaxaca, and opened fire, killing Mayor Lilia Gema Garcia Soto and a fellow city official.

That case remains under investigation, with no arrests reported as of Wednesday.

Both attacks have heightened concerns over the increasing frequency of political violence in cartel-dominated regions. Local officials across Mexico, particularly in rural areas, continue to be targeted amid turf wars between organized criminal groups.

Mexican federal authorities have not yet released additional details about the suspects or potential arrests in either case.

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