Gunmen opened fire on Mayor Gisela Mota at her house in the city of
Temixco, said the government of Morelos state, where Temixco is located.
Two presumed assailants were killed and three others
detained following a pursuit, said Morelos security commissioner Jesus
Alberto Capella. He said the suspects fired on federal police and
soldiers from a vehicle.
On his Twitter account, Morelos Gov. Graco Ramirez attributed Mota's
killing to organized crime, without citing a particular drug cartel or
gang. Cartels seeking to control communities and towns have often
targeted local officials and mayors in Mexico.
Mota's leftist Democratic Revolution Party released a statement describing her as
"a strong and brave woman who on taking office as mayor, declared that her fight against crime would be frontal and direct."
Temixco is a city of about 100,000 people neighboring Cuernavaca, a
resort and industrial city which has been suffering kidnappings and
extortion linked to organized crime groups. Though Cuernavaca is the
capital of Morelos, Temixco is the seat of several state institutions
including the Public Security Commission, which coordinates state and
local police forces. Morelos also neighbors drug cartel-plagued Guerrero
state.
Mota, who had been a federal congresswoman, was sworn into office on New Year's Day. She was killed the following day.
Morelos Gov. Ramirez vowed there "would be no impunity" in her killing
and promised that state officials would not cede to what he described as
a "challenge from criminals."
Federal and state forces are deployed in Cuernavaca and municipalities
near the Guerrero state border in what is called operation "Delta."
Capella did not provide more details about the attack on Mota, but said
that when the suspects were detained, authorities found a 9-millimeter
gun, an Uzi, ski masks and an SUV with Mexico State license plates.
Morelos Attorney General Javier Perez Duron said the detained suspects
have been tied to other crimes, but declined to provide more details.
Source: AP
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