A MAYOR in Mexico has been gunned down in a cartel-ravaged heartland days into the World Cup.
Jose Angel Bravo Martinez, mayor of San Miguel Amatitlan, in the state of Oaxaca, died after being shot – in a brazen attack now being treated as a “high-impact” crime.
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San Miguel Amatitlan mayor Jose Angel Bravo shot Credit: NHP
Mexico City Police Officers stand guard outside Mexico City International Airport awaiting the arrival of demonstrators Credit: Getty
The killing happened in the south of the country, where all-powerful drug cartels are sparing no one in their fight over trafficking routes.
Martinez died outside his home – and less than 200 miles from where the first World Cup match between Mexico and South Africa took place days ago.
He is the latest victim in a long line of politicians and lawmakers to have died in targeted attacks.
State Governor Salomon Jara said: “I have instructed the State Security Cabinet to provide all necessary support to the Attorney General’s Office of the State of Oaxaca in the investigations that are already underway.
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“From the very first moment, an inter-agency operation was deployed in the area with the aim of locating and apprehending those responsible, as well as ensuring that this crime does not go unpunished.
“In Oaxaca, we will not allow violence to prevail over the law or over the will of our communities.”
Organized criminal groups, including the Jalisco New Generation Cartel, also known as the CJNG, and the Sinaloa Cartel, are active in Oaxaca, which borders the Pacific Ocean.
At least 60 officials were killed in 2025, data from the non-governmental organisation Causa en Comun shows.
Various groups march along Calzada de Tlalpan to the Estadio Ciudad de Mexico in Mexico City Credit: Shutterstock Editorial
The demonstration aims to draw attention to issues of disappearances, femicides, and injustices in Mexico Credit: Shutterstock Editorial
Mario Hernandez Garcia, the mayor of another Oaxaca town, also died last month in an attack that also left two other people dead.
President Claudia Sheinbaum has been forced to step up the fight against organised crime groups – to no avail so far.
Even after a deployment totalling thousands of troops and the killing of a top cartel capo, she has struggled to impose peace in restive Pacific coast states.
Earlier this year, Mexican authorities insisted they are prepared to host the millions of visitors flooding the region for the World Cup.
Around 100,000 security personnel have been deployed to keep fans safe, including 20,000 soldiers and 55,000 police officers, as well as private security teams.
Dozens of jets, 2,500 military and civilian vehicles, anti-drone systems, and sniffer dogs trained to detect explosives and other substances are also part of the operation.
Despite ramped up security measures, violence erupted outside Azteca Stadium in Mexico City.
Demonstrators – mostly made up of mothers whose children are captured and held by gangs – pushing past security fences to voice their protest.
Mexico is notorious for being the “kidnap capital”.
There were nearly 3,600 cases n the first four months of 2026 – but the true number is likely far higher.
Under one percent of extortion cases are actually reported, largely out of fear of reprisals.
Chihuahua, Sonora and Michoacán currently record the highest volume of kidnapping cases.
