Mexico mayor killed hours after being sworn in

World
Europe

A mayor in the southern Mexican state of Oaxaca was gunned down on Tuesday mere hours after being sworn in, the second mayor in the central American country to be killed in the last month, according to reports.

Alejandro Aparicio, the mayor of Tlaxiaco, was shot while on his way to the town hall for a meeting and was pronounced dead after being taken to hospital, reports said.

At least three other officials were injured in the attack. One of them later died of his injuries.

A 34-year-old man was arrested in connection with the shooting, CNN reported.

CGTN screenshot of a tweet by Mexico's National Association of Mayors.

The governor of Oaxaca Alejandro Murat tweeted: "I vigorously condemn the attack against the mayor of Tlaxiaco. I have requested an exhaustive investigation by the prosecutor general and he informs me that he has already arrested the probable murderer."

Aparicio was a member of President Andres Manuel Obrador's National Regeneration Movement (Morena).

According to Mexico's National Association of Mayors, he was the second mayor to be killed since Lopez Obrador took office last month.

Since 2006, 72 mayors and mayors-elect, as well as 71 former mayors, have been killed, the association noted in a tweet.

(With input from agencies)

(Top picture: Police officers are seen at a crime scene in Ciudad Juarez, Mexico, December 13, 2018. /VCG Photo)