President of Mexico Lopez Obrador Reacts to the Killing of a Mayoral Candidate

Andrés Manuel López Obrador, the departing president of Mexico, has sent her family his condolences for the loss of a municipal candidate who was murdered and killed not long after her campaign began.

“These are calamitous events because these are people fighting for democracy,” López Obrador stated on Tuesday at his regular press conference. “Face to face, they’re out on the street.”

López Obrador made these comments in reaction to the passing of Bertha Gisela Gaytán, a candidate running on behalf of Morena, the left-wing party he formed. She was a candidate for Celaya mayor, northwest of Mexico City.

Gaytán gathered with supporters in the streets of San Miguel Octopan, a town west of Celaya, on Monday, the first day of her campaign.

In a brief social media video from the incident, a group of individuals can be seen cheering for Morena and waving maroon flags before bullets are heard. From somewhere, there’s a scream.

Adrián Guerrero, a candidate for city council, was among the several individuals hit. According to multiple media reports on Tuesday, he passed away at a local hospital later on. As the general election draws near, the Associated Press news agency calculates that at least 15 political candidates have been assassinated since January.