Temoac Mayor's Murder Linked to Activist Killings, Mexico Security Chief Says

The assassinated mayor of Temoac, Valentín Lavín Romero, was reportedly connected to the murders of activists Samir Flores and Sandra Rosa Camacho Flores, according to Omar García Harfuch, head of Mexico's Secretariat of Security and Citizen Protection (SSPC).

Speaking at a press conference on Friday, July 24, in Cuernavaca, Morelos, García Harfuch explained that the investigation into Samir Flores's death is being pursued by the Morelos state prosecutor's office and the federal Attorney General's Office (FGR). He noted that the SSPC, in conjunction with state and federal authorities and the National Intelligence Center, was investigating the mayor for these homicides as part of a broader inquiry into alleged ties to organized crime.

When questioned about the number of individuals potentially involved in the 2019 assassination of activist Samir Flores, García Harfuch deferred to the local prosecutor's office for specifics. However, he confirmed that the mayor's alleged involvement in these two murders was a key line of federal investigation.

The revelation links the Temoac mayor's death to a high-profile case involving the murder of Samir Flores, a prominent indigenous rights activist and journalist who was killed in February 2019. Flores was known for his work opposing the government's "Morelos Integral Project," which included a thermoelectric plant. His killing drew widespread condemnation and calls for a thorough investigation.