Violence eclipses upcoming midterm elections in Mexico

At least 89 politicians, including 35 candidates, have been killed during the electoral campaign, security consultancy says.

With campaigning finished as Mexico’s midterm elections approach, many hope the bloodshed is over in what experts have described as one of the bloodiest election seasons in recent history. According to Etellekt, a security consultancy firm, at least 89 politicians, including 35 candidates, have been killed in more than 200 days of campaigning. Separately, the firm registered 782 attacks against politicians and candidates, ranging from verbal threats and intimidation to beatings, property damage, kidnappings, attacks on family members and abuse of authority. Of these, 75 percent were against opposition politicians and candidates of the governments where the offences were committed. Seventy-five percent of the politicians that were killed were also members of opposition parties.