Mexican lawmakers observe moment of silence for murdered journalist and mayor
Translated from Spanish, summarized and contextualized by DistantNews.
At a glance
- Mexican lawmakers observed a moment of silence for a journalist and a mayor who were murdered.
- Journalist Francisco Alejandro Leyva Aguilar was killed in Oaxaca, and Temoac Mayor Valentรญn Lavรญn Romero was shot in his office.
- Legislators demanded justice and thorough investigations into both killings, expressing solidarity with the victims' families.
Mexico's Congress observed a moment of silence Wednesday to honor journalist Francisco Alejandro Leyva Aguilar and Valentรญn Lavรญn Romero, the mayor of Temoac, Morelos, both of whom were murdered. The killings have prompted outrage and demands for accountability.
cowardly assassination
Leyva Aguilar, a former head of Oaxaca's state radio and television corporation, was killed in Oaxaca. Senator Alejandro Murat condemned the "cowardly assassination," describing the journalist as a "friend committed to Oaxaca and freedom of expression." Murat insisted on a thorough investigation to identify the perpetrators.
Mayor Lavรญn Romero, affiliated with the Green Party (PVEM), was gunned down in his municipal offices by assailants on a motorcycle. The Permanent Commission of the Congress of the Union, led by its president Laura Itzel Castillo, not only observed the moment of silence but also demanded that those responsible for these murders be punished.
friend committed to Oaxaca and freedom of expression
Both incidents underscore the persistent dangers faced by journalists and public officials in parts of Mexico. The legislative body expressed its solidarity with the families of both victims, highlighting the gravity of the violence and the need for swift justice.
that reaches the perpetrators of the crime against a professional and critical journalist.
Originally published by El Universal in Spanish. Translated, summarized, and contextualized by our editorial team with added local perspective. Read our editorial standards.