Yolanda Sanchez, the mayor of the Cotija town in western Mexico, was killed barely 24 hours after the country elected Claudia Sheinbaum as its first-ever female president in 200 years. Sanchez, who was the first woman to take over the position in 2021, was gunned down and reportedly shot 19 times. She was killed nine months after she was kidnapped reportedly by a criminal syndicate. The drug cartel is infamous for targeting public officials who refuse to do its bidding. The mayor's murder comes as Sheinbaum has vowed to crack down on cartels and their menace. Mexico has recently seen an increase in gender-based violence, femicides, and cartel-led killings.
