The United States is concerned about the actions of criminal groups in Mexican elections

The President’s Administration Joe Biden is confident that the upcoming June 2 election in Mexico will be successful, but remains concerned about the risks that criminal groups may pose to the political process, a senior US official said.

During a talk with journalists, the Biden Administration official noted that, despite the challenges that crime may represent for the Mexican electoral processthe United States is confident in election day and hopes to work with the next government that is elected.

“Of course we remain concerned whenever there is a challenge or risk to the political process. Particularly by transnational criminal organizations or criminal actors,” said the senior Biden Administration official when asked by Grupo Reforma about electoral violence.

“However, we are confident that the electoral process in Mexico will be successful and we look forward to working with the new administration,” added the senior US official who requested anonymity.

Attacks on candidates

With data up to this Friday, the Electoral Laboratory consultancy has indicated that At least 70 people have been murdered during the current electoral process 2023-2024 including candidates, applicants, family members and other people linked to the elections.

Since 2022, the US Department of State had already noted in its Annual Human Rights Report the high levels of violence that occurred during the 2017-2018 and 2020-2021 electoral processes, and highlighted the ineffectiveness of candidate protection programs so.

Asked about the most recent murders, including that of a candidate for Mayor of La Concordia in Chiapas, the president Andrés Manuel López Obrador He assured that during the current electoral process there have been fewer attacks compared to the past.

According to the Electoral Laboratory records, the total number of people murdered during the 2017-2018 electoral process, in which López Obrador was elected president, was 145, while during the 2020-2021 electoral process the total number of people murdered reached at 88.

Keep reading:
– Attack in Chiapas: a candidate and the son of another political candidate are killed.
– Municipal candidate murdered during campaign event in Guanajuato, Mexico.