Story By: Juan Mayes, Sub-Editor: Joana Mihajlovska, Agency: Newsflash
This woman ex-mayor and her daughter have been gunned down in their home.
The shocking murders happened in the municipality of Cosoleacaque in the Mexican state of Veracruz in the early hours of 15th February.
The victims were identified as former Cosoleacaque mayor Gladys Merlin Castro and her 27-year-old daughter Carla Enriquez Merlin.
Merlin Castro had served as the mayor of Cosoleacaque in 2008 and also worked as a deputy in the region for the Institutional Revolutionary Party (PRI) which is a centre-right political group.
Initial reports indicate a group of armed gunmen entered the ex-mayor’s residence and gunned down both her and her daughter but the exact number of suspects is unclear.
A man who was guarding the home was also injured in the attack but there have been no reports on the exact injuries he sustained.
Several officials have released statements condemning the murder including the head of the PRI party in Veracruz, Marlon Ramirez.
He said: “I vehemently condemn this atrocious act which affects all of Veracruz. Gladys Merlin and Carlita Enriquez were members of our party, public workers, friends, and colleagues, but above all, extraordinary women.”
The State Attorney General’s Office and the Secretariat of Citizen Security (SSP) have both issued statements announcing they are conducting investigations and assured citizens that the murders will not go unpunished.
Veracruz Mayor Cuitlahuac Garcia told the local press there are two lines of investigation for the case but gave no further details as it is ongoing.
There have been no reports on a possible motive.
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