lunes, junio 28, 2010

Mexican gubernatorial candidate Rodolfo Torre Cantú killed by gunmen

Monica Lawrence / BNO News

TAMAULIPAS, MEXICO– Rodolfo Torre Cantu, a gubernatorial candidate for the major Partido Revolucionario Institucional (PRI) party, was killed by gunmen on Monday morning, police said.

Local officials said an armed group, believed to be drug hitmen, attacked Cantu approximately 9 kilometers (5.5 miles) from the Soto la Marina highway as he was on his way to an airport in Ciudad Victoria, the capital of the northeastern Mexican state of Tamaulipas.

Cantu, who was expected to win Sunday's elections in Tamaulipas, was going to Valle Hermose where he was set to close his political campaign. Four other people were also killed during the attack.

Just over a week ago, a group of armed gunmen shot and killed Guadalupe Mayor Jesus Manuel Lara Rodriguez, the mayor of the Mexican town of Guadalupe. The murder happened as his wife and child watched from nearby, at a time that violence in the country appeared to be on the rise.

Earlier this month, Mexican president Felipe Calderon said the 'war on drugs' is justified and warned it will "take time, more resources and more human lives."

"I'm aware of citizen demands to put a stop to the crime throughout the country. And so, from the first day of my government, we fought hard and with determination against organized crime," Calderon said in a statement that was aired on television and radio on June 15.

Calderon said that for decades, organized crime trafficked drugs into the United States, which was and still is the biggest consumer of drugs worldwide.

"However, since the mid-90s, they began to sell drugs here, among our children and young Mexicans and with that, the violence started slowly, because they were now fighting for the local drug market," Calderon said.

Calderon said the problem has grown since 1994 when the U.S. lifted the ban on selling assault weapons.

He told Mexicans that the federal government is now fighting side by side with local authorities against drug cartels, that the federal police is being depured, and that the government is designing a new legal framework.

"For that reason but also because of their traditional rivalries, violent executions have been seen between drug gangs, but also fighting among themselves, and between criminals and the authorities," the president added.

"This is a fight that will take time, resources, and unfortunately more human lives, like those from brave police officers, soldiers and marines, who have sacrificed themselves for the welfare and safety of yourself and of all Mexicans," he added.

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