Councilwoman shot, husband killed in Mexico near U.S. border

The husband of a Mexican councilwoman was fatally shot, and the councilwoman herself, along with their 15-year-old daughter, were injured in an attack Tuesday afternoon. Maria de Jesus Quijada, a councilor for the municipality of Tecate near the U.S. border, was traveling in a vehicle with her family when the shooting occurred.

Quijada and her daughter are receiving medical treatment in the U.S. and are reported to be out of danger, according to Quijada's father. Mexico's security secretariat confirmed the incident and stated that an investigation is underway, vowing no impunity. Authorities discovered a burnt-out car matching the perpetrators' vehicle description approximately two miles from the attack site.

The attack underscores the persistent danger faced by local officials in Mexico, particularly in cartel-controlled border regions. Since late 2024, 13 mayors have been murdered in the country. Last November, a mayor who had publicly called for action against violent crime was also killed.

President Claudia Sheinbaum has reported a significant decrease in homicides since late 2024, attributing the reduction to her security policies. However, Mexico has endured years of escalating violence since the government's 2006 offensive against drug gangs, which has resulted in nearly half a million deaths and 130,000 disappearances.

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There will be no impunity.