List of politicians killed in the Mexican Drug War


This is a list of politicians murdered in the Mexican Drug War. Since the start of the military-led offensive by the Mexican government in 2006, the drug trafficking organizations have slaughtered their rivals, killed policemen and now increasingly targeted politicians – especially local leaders. Most of the places where these politicians have been killed are areas plagued by drug-related violence. Part of the strategy used by the criminal groups behind the killings of local figures is the weakening of the local governments.
Extreme violence puts politicians at the mercy of the mafias, and thus allowing the cartels to take control of the fundamental government structures and expand their criminal agendas. In addition, because mayors usually appoint local police chiefs, they are seen by the cartels as key assets in their criminal activities to control the police forces in their areas of influence. The cartels also seek to control the local governments to win government contracts and concessions; these "public works" help them ingrain themselves in the community and gain the loyalty and respect of the communities in which they operate.
Currently, the criminal organizations in Mexico earn a substantial amount of money from extortion and retail drug sales, known in Spanish as "narco-menudeo." Unlike the transnational drug trade, which can be carried out without the aid and protection of authorities, local police forces are more likely to be aware of the local extortions and drug sales. Hence, government tolerance – and at times, government collusion – is necessary for the cartels to operate.
Politicians are usually targeted for three reasons: Political figures who are honest pose a direct threat to organized crime, and are consequently killed by the cartels; Politicians make arrangements to protect a certain cartel and are killed by a rival cartel; and a cartel simply kills politicians to heat up the turf of the rival cartel that operates in the area.
Another issue behind the assassination of politicians is that Mexico is more democratic than how it used to be a couple of decades ago, when the Institutional Revolutionary Party ruled Mexico uninterruptedly for more than six decades. Today, the criminals groups have to deal with three major political parties, posing challenges to the long-relationships the cartels had during the past regime. Drug-related assassinations are not solely limited to local and low-profile politicians. As demonstrated with the killing of Rodolfo Torre Cantú in June 2010, a candidate for the PRI who was running for the state government of Tamaulipas, drug lords are interfering with Mexico's election process.

List

Notes
NamePolitical PartyPositionDateLocationSources
Teodoro Herrera SosaInstitutional Revolutionary PartyFormer municipal president18 January 2005Soto la Marina, Tamaulipas
Raúl Delgado BenavidesN/AMunicipal president15 July 2006Cuautitlán, Jalisco
Juan Antonio Guajardo AnzaldúaPAN-PRD-PTFormer municipal president, Senator, and Deputy29 November 2007Río Bravo, Tamaulipas
Leopoldo Juárez UrbinaConvergenciaFormer municipal president8 May 2008Cherán, Michoacán
Marcelo Ibarra VillaInstitutional Revolutionary PartyMunicipal president1 June 2008Villa Madero, Michoacán
Manuel de Jesús Angulo TorresInstitutional Revolutionary PartyMunicipal president4 June 2008Topia, Durango
Juan Manuel Orozco SerranoInstitutional Revolutionary PartyFormer municipal president24 July 2008Cuautitlán, Jalisco
Héctor Lorenzo RíosParty of the Democratic RevolutionMunicipal president24 September 2008Ayutla, Guerrero
Salvador Vergara CruzInstitutional Revolutionary PartyMunicipal president8 October 2008Ixtapan de la Sal, State of Mexico
Claudio Reyes NúñezInstitutional Revolutionary PartyMunicipal president6 February 2009Otáez, Durango
Francisco Javier Rodríguez AcevesParty of the Democratic RevolutionFormer municipal president22 February 2009Petatlán, Guerrero
Octavio Manuel Carrillo CastellanosInstitutional Revolutionary PartyMunicipal president24 February 2009Vista Hermosa, Michoacán
Gonzalo Paz TorresN/AChief of city council7 March 2009Tancítaro, Michoacán
Dimas Arzeta CisnerosInstitutional Revolutionary PartyFormer municipal president14 March 2009Tecpan de Galeana, Guerrero
Gustavo Bucio RodríguezParty of the Democratic RevolutionCandidate for Deputy 7 April 2009Michoacán
Nicolás León HernándezInstitutional Revolutionary PartyFormer municipal president3 April 2009Isla del Cayacal, Michoacán
Alfonso Rivera CruzN/AMunicipal president pro tempore20 April 2009Zapotitlán Tablas, Guerrero
Luis Carlos Ramírez LópezNational Action PartyMunicipal president2 June 2009Ocampo, Durango
Efraín Gutiérrez ArcosInstitutional Revolutionary PartyFormer municipal president11 June 2009Santa Ana Maya, Michoacán
Héctor Manuel Meixueiro MuñozNational Action PartyMunicipal president14 July 2009Namiquipa, Chihuahua
Ismael RiveraN/ATreasurer of the municipality14 July 2009Namiquipa, Chihuahua
Armando Chavarría BarreraParty of the Democratic RevolutionCongressman20 August 2009Chilpancingo, Guerrero
Estanislao García SantelisN/AMunicipal president9 October 2009Palomas, Chihuahua
José Sánchez ChávezInstitutional Revolutionary PartyFormer municipal president16 October 2009Tiquicheo, Michoacán
Aurelio Fausto Cháidez ChavarínN/AFormer municipal president9 January 2010Culiacán, Sinaloa
Ramón Mendívil SoteloInstitutional Revolutionary PartyMunicipal president18 February 2010Guadalupe y Calvo, Chihuahua
Manuel Estrada EscalanteInstitutional Revolutionary PartyMunicipal president23 February 2010El Mezquital, Durango
José Santiago AgustínInstitutional Revolutionary PartyMunicipal president28 April 2010Zapotitlán Tablas, Guerrero
Abel Uribe LandaInstitutional Revolutionary PartyFormer municipal president3 May 2010Tetipac, Guerrero
José Mario Guajardo VarelaNational Action PartyCandidate for municipal presidency12 May 2010Valle Hermoso, Tamaulipas
Jesús Manuel Lara RodríguezInstitutional Revolutionary PartyMunicipal president19 June 2010Guadalupe, Chihuahua
Óscar Venancio Martínez RiveraInstitutional Revolutionary PartyMunicipal president19 June 2010San José del Progreso, Oaxaca
Rodolfo Torre CantúInstitutional Revolutionary PartyCandidate for governor28 June 2010Ciudad Victoria, Tamaulipas
Enrique Blackmore SmerInstitutional Revolutionary PartyDeputy 28 June 2010Ciudad Victoria, Tamaulipas
Nicolás García AmbrosioParty of the Democratic RevolutionMunicipal president30 June 2010Santo Domingo, Oaxaca
Romero Núñez MontielCompromise for Puebla Candidate for municipal presidency3 July 2010Jololalpan, Puebla
Alberto Herrera CasillasN/AFormer municipal president10 July 2010Tecalitlán, Jalisco
Edelmiro Cavazos LealNational Action PartyMunicipal president18 August 2010Santiago, Nuevo León
Marco Antonio Leal GarcíaInstitutional Revolutionary PartyMunicipal president29 August 2010Hidalgo, Tamaulipas
Alexander López GarcíaInstitutional Revolutionary PartyMunicipal president8 September 2010El Naranjo, San Luis Potosí
Prisciliano Rodríguez SalinasInstitutional Revolutionary PartyMunicipal president23 September 2010Doctor González, Nuevo León
Gustavo Sánchez CervantesN/AInterim municipal president27 September 2010Uruapan, Michoacán
Antonio Jiménez BañosInstitutional Revolutionary PartyMunicipal president-elect8 October 2010Mártires de Tacubaya, Oaxaca
José Felipe GarcíaN/AMunicipal president16 October 2010Cruillas, Tamaulipas
Rito Grado SerranoN/AMunicipal president17 October 2010Praxedis G. Guerrero, Chihuahua
Jaime Lozoya ÁvilaParty of the Democratic RevolutionMunicipal president6 November 2010San Bernardo, Durango
Gregorio Barradas MiraveteNational Action PartyMunicipal president9 November 2010Juan Rodríguez Lara, Veracruz
Omar ManzurNational Action PartyMunicipal president pro tempore9 November 2010Juan Rodríguez Lara, Veracruz
Jesús Silverio Cavazos CeballosInstitutional Revolutionary PartyFormer governor21 November 2010Colima, Colima
Saúl Vara RiveraInstitutional Revolutionary PartyMunicipal president5 January 2011Zaragoza, Coahuila
Abraham Ortiz RosalesEcologist Green Party of MexicoMunicipal president11 January 2011Temoac, Morelos
Luis Jiménez MataN/AMunicipal president13 January 2011Santiago Amoltepec
Juan Carlos Guardado MéndezLabor PartyFormer municipal president4 February 2011Fresnillo, Zacatecas
Adán Ocampo OrtizNational Action PartyMunicipality director9 February 2011Chinameca, Veracruz
Saturnino Valdez LlanosInstitutional Revolutionary PartyMunicipal president12 February 2011Tampico Alto, Veracruz
José Luis Prieto TorresN/AFormer municipal president22 February 2011Allende, Chihuahua
Enrique Chávez GómezParty of the Democratic RevolutionFormer candidate for municipal presidency28 February 2011El Saucillo, Chihuahua
Mario Chuc AguilarN/AFormer municipal president10 March 2011Felipe Carrillo Puerto, Quintana Roo
Enterbio Reyes BelloN/AFormer municipal president7 April 2011Copanatoyac, Guerrero
Silvia Moreno LealN/AFormer municipal president14 May 2011Balleza, Chihuahua
Fernando Duarte FloresN/AFormer municipal president18 May 2011Nuevo Laredo, Tamaulipas
Alfonso López VázquezN/AFormer municipal president27 May 2011Jalapa, Tabasco
Eduardo García DelgadoInstitutional Revolutionary PartyFormer municipal president7 June 2011Lerdo de Tejada, Veracruz
Gonzalo Amador OrtegaNational Action PartyFormer candidate for municipal presidency24 June 2011Huauchinango, Puebla
Ernesto Cornejo ValenzuelaNational Action PartyFormer candidate for deputy; State delegate for the PAN21 July 2011Villa Juárez, Sonora
Fortino Cortés SandovalN/AMunicipal president28 July 2011Florencia de Benito Juárez, Zacatecas
José Eduviges Nava AltamiranoLabor PartyMunicipal president20 August 2011Zacualpan, State of Mexico
Luz María García VillagránN/AMunicipal president24 August 2011Gran Morelos, Chihuahua
René Carreón GómezN/AFormer municipal president29 August 2011Cuancamé, Zacatecas
Gustavo Pacheco VillaseñorInstitutional Revolutionary PartyFormer municipal president15 September 2011Tuxtepec, Oaxaca
Moisés Villanueva de la LuzInstitutional Revolutionary PartyDeputy 17 September 2011Tlapa de Comonfort, Guerrero
Ricardo Guzmán RomeroNational Action PartyMunicipal president2 November 2011La Piedad, Michoacán
Roberto Miguel GalvánN/AFormer municipal president19 November 2011Tepetzintla, Veracruz
Fortunato Ruiz BlázquezN/AFormer municipal president12 December 2011Ixhuacán de los Reyes, Veracruz
José Martínez MendozaN/AFormer municipal president21 December 2011Cosalá, Sinaloa
Porfirio Flores AyalaInstitutional Revolutionary PartyFormer municipal president31 December 2011Cuernavaca, Morelos
Arturo García SolanoParty of the Democratic RevolutionFormer candidate for deputy 10 March 2012Ciudad Valles, San Luis Potosí
Alfonso Peña PeñaNational Action PartyFormer municipal president16 March 2012Tepehuanes, Durango
Francisco García GirardInstitutional Revolutionary PartyFormer municipal president14 April 2012Aquiles Serdán, Chihuahua
Rafael Landa FernándezN/AMunicipal president pro tempore18 April 2012Atzalan, Veracruz
Horacio Barquín CevallosInstitutional Revolutionary PartyMunicipal president pro tempore28 April 2012Taxco de Alarcón, Guerrero
Rafael Ariza BibianoParty of the Democratic RevolutionFormer municipal president2 June 2012Coyuca de Benítez, Guerrero
Margarito Genchi CasianoParty of the Democratic RevolutionCandidate for Deputy 11 June 2012Florencio Villarreal, Guerrero
Marisol Mora CuevasNational Action PartyMunicipal president28 June 2012Loma Bonita, Oaxaca
Pedro Filemón Luis HernándezN/AMunicipal president pro tempore2 August 2012San Miguel Tilquiapam, Oaxaca
Nadin Torralba MejíaInstitutional Revolutionary PartyMunicipal president5 August 2012Tecpan de Galeana, Guerrero
Rodolfo Leal AlanísSocial Democratic PartyFormer candidate for Deputy7 August 2012Escobedo, Nuevo León
Wilfrido Campos GonzálezInstitutional Revolutionary PartyFormer deputy 8 August 2012Matamoros, Tamaulipas
Édgar Morales PérezInstitutional Revolutionary PartyMunicipal president-elect12 August 2012Matehuala, San Luis Potosí
Ignacio Pérez RodríguezParty of the Democratic RevolutionFormer candidate for municipal presidency18 August 2012Tamuín, San Luis Potosí
Nahum Tress ManicaInstitutional Revolutionary PartyFormer municipal president28 August 2012Isla, Veracruz
Hernán Belden ElizondoNational Action PartyFormer deputy 7 September 2012Santa Catarina, Nuevo León
Miguel Jaimes PalaciosN/AFormer municipal president8 September 2012Tierra Caliente, Guerrero
Eduardo Castro LuqueInstitutional Revolutionary PartyDeputy-elect14 September 2012Ciudad Obregón, Sonora
Jaime Serrano CedilloInstitutional Revolutionary PartyDeputy 16 September 2012Nezahualcóyotl, State of Mexico
Lorenzo Salinas MendozaN/AFormer municipal president26 September 2012Santa María Temaxcaltepec, Oaxaca
Raúl Antonio Rodríguez BarreraInstitutional Revolutionary PartyFormer municipal president31 October 2012Miguel Alemán, Tamaulipas
María Santos Gorrostieta SalazarParty of the Democratic RevolutionFormer municipal president16 November 2012Cuitzeo, Michoacán
Rafael Piña de LunaParty of the Democratic RevolutionFormer candidate for municipal presidency15 December 2012Ciudad Valles, San Luis Potosí
Amalia Terán RubioNational Action PartyDeputy pro tempore16 December 2012Huehuetlán, San Luis Potosí
Pablo Antonio PintorInstitutional Revolutionary PartyFormer municipal president16 December 2012Ciudad del Maíz, San Luis Potosí
Miguel Ángel Farfán OrtegaInstitutional Revolutionary PartyFormer candidate for municipal presidency18 December 2012Salvador Escalante, Michoacán
Ignacio Domínguez CarranzaNational Action PartyFormer candidate for municipal presidency18 January 2013Tlaquiltenango, Morelos
Wilfrido Flores VillaN/AInterim municipal president4 February 2013Nahuatzen, Michoacán
Jesús Manuel LanderoInstitutional Revolutionary PartyCandidate for municipal president18 February 2013Lerdo, Durango
Enrique Marín LaraNational Action PartyFormer municipal president22 February 2013Soledad de Doblado, Veracruz
Francisco David Carrasco CarneroNational Action PartyFormer municipal president23 February 2013Julimes, Chihuahua
Feliciano Martínez BautistaN/AMunicipal president25 March 2013San Juan Mixtepec, Oaxaca
José René Garrido RochaInstitutional Revolutionary PartyMunicipal president20 April 2013San Salvador el Verde, Oaxaca
Celestino Félix Vázquez LuisN/AMunicipal president4 June 2013San Miguel Tilquiapam, Oaxaca
Jaime Orozco MaxdigalInstitutional Revolutionary PartyCandidate for municipal presidency11 June 2013Guadalupe y Calvo
Guillermo Maceda CervantesParty of the Democratic RevolutionPre-candidate for municipal president15 June 2013Tlacoachistlahuaca, Guerrero
Isaac López RojasPartido CardenistaCandidate of municipal president pro tempore15 June 2013Martínez de la Torre, Veracruz
José Ramírez RománInstitutional Revolutionary PartyFormer municipal president21 June 2013Saín Alto, Zacatecas
Francisco Navarro MontenegroPartido del Frente Cardenista de Reconstrucción NacionalFormer candidate for governor29 June 2013Saltillo, Coahuila
Ricardo Reyes ZamudioMovimiento CiudadanoCandidate for municipal president1 July 2013Durango, Durango
Víctor Tapia OcampoN/AFormer municipal president14 August 2013Tetecala, Morelos
Gabriel Gómez MichelInstitutional Revolutionary PartyDeputy of the LXII Legislature of the Mexican Congress22 or 23 September 2014Zacatecas
Aidé Nava GonzálezParty of the Democratic RevolutionPre-candidate for municipal president11 March 2015Ahuacutzingo, Guerrero
Ulises Fabian QuirozInstitutional Revolutionary PartyCandidate for municipal president1 May 2015Chilapa, Guerrero
Candidate for municipal president14 May 2015Yurecuaro, Michoacan
Gisela Mota OcampoParty of the Democratic RevolutionDeputy of LXII Legislature and the Mayor of Temixco2 January 2016Temixco, Morelos
Municipal president22 April 2016Jilotzingo, State of Mexico
Municipal president25 June 2016San Juan Chamula, Chiapas
Vice municipal president25 June 2016San Juan Chamula, Chiapas
Municipal president25 June 2016Pungabarato, Guerrero
Jose Santa Maria ZavalaMunicipal president1 August 2016Huehuetlan El Grande, Pueblo
Municipal presidentDecember 17, 2016Ocotlan de Morelos, Oaxaca
Jesús Dámaso Baños TapiaFormer municipal presidentDecember 23, 2016San Juan Bautista Cacahuatepec, Oaxaca
Julio Filogonio López QuirozMorenaFormer municipal presidentJanuary 15, 2017San Andrés Huaxpaltepec, Oaxaca
Antolin Vital MartinezMunicipal presidentJanuary 24, 2017Tepexco, Puebla
Amado Islas EspejelParty of the Democratic RevolutionFormer municipal presidentFebruary 25, 2017Tepetlaoxtoc, State of Mexico
Francisco Tecuchillo NeriParty of the Democratic RevolutionFormer mayor of Zitlala, GuerreroOctober 13, 2017Chilapa, Guerrero
Ranferi Hernandez AcevedoParty of the Democratic RevolutionSocial activist and politicianOctober 14, 2017Ahuacuotzingo, Guerrero
Victor Manuel Espinoza TolentinoN/AMayorNovember 26, 2017Ixhuatlán de Madero, Veracruz
Aarón Varela MartínezMorenaCandidate for mayor, lawyer & local microentrepreneurMarch 1, 2018Santa Clara Ocoyucan, Puebla
Jose Remedios AguirreMorenaCandidate for Mayor, former municipal chief of securityMay 11, 2018Apaseo el Alto, Guanajuato
Institutional Revolutionary PartyCandidate for deputy, former mayor of Piedras NegrasJune 8, 2018Piedras Negras, Coahuila
Alejandro Aparicio SantiagoMorenaMunicipal President of TlaxiacoJanuary 1, 2019Tlaxiaco, Oaxaca
María Ascención Torres CruzMorenaLocal officialJanuary 1, 2019Morelos