Gunmen suspected to be from a drug cartel have shot and killed the first female mayor of the town of Cotija, Michoacán, where drug cartel violence is rife. The killing came one day after Mexico held general elections. The victim had survived a kidnapping by another drug cartel in 2023.
On Monday evening, Mayor Yolanda Sánchez was arriving with her security guards at a local gym when a group of gunmen opened fire on them from a moving vehicle. The gunmen shot Sánchez 19 times, fatally wounding her. She died a few hours later at a local hospital.
The Michoacan state government acknowledged the killing in a brief social media post and claimed to be carrying out an operation to track down the gunmen.
Elle Gobmichoacan Cotija Mayor Yolanda Sánchez Figueroa has been charged with murder and fired from her job as sheriff under federal jurisdiction.
— Segob Michoacan (@SdeGobMich) June 4, 2024
Sanchez gained attention in 2021 when she became the first female mayor of Cotija. She was from the National Action Party (PAN), an opposition group to Mexico’s ruling MORENA party. Although Sanchez was not running for reelection, her party’s candidate won the election on June 2, the day before she was murdered.
“I express my deepest sadness and condemnation of the murder of Yolanda Sánchez Figueroa, Mayor of Cotija. I have been immediately instructed to take charge of the operations that will carry out the relevant investigations in coordination with federal agencies,” he said. pic.twitter.com/hgpw1lXOEf
— Alfredo Ramirez Bedolla (@ARBedolla) June 4, 2024
As Breitbart Texas reported in 2023, Sanchez was visiting Jalisco with a relative for a medical appointment when she was kidnapped by the Jalisco New Generation Cartel. After holding her captive for several days, the gunmen released her and put her on a bus bound for Michoacan. After her release, Sanchez called for help, and authorities pursued the bus.
Ildefonso Ortiz is an award-winning journalist at Breitbart Texas. He co-founded Breitbart Texas’ Cartel Chronicles project with Brandon Darby and senior Breitbart management. twitter and FacebookContact details: email address.
Brandon Darby is Managing Director and Editor in Chief of Breitbart Texas. He co-founded Breitbart Texas’ Cartel Chronicles project with Ildefonso Ortiz and senior Breitbart executives. twitter and FacebookContact details: email address.
