Valentín Lavín Romero, a mayor from Morelos state who was affiliated with the Green party, an ally of the ruling Morena party, was killed on Wednesday at the town hall in Temoac, a municipality near Mexico City. The attack occurred during daytime hours when armed individuals entered the building, fatally shot Lavín Romero, and fled the scene by motorcycle. Authorities have not yet publicly identified a motive or suspects, though the state prosecutor’s office indicated it would pursue multiple investigative avenues.
This represents the 14th mayoral killing since Claudia Sheinbaum assumed the presidency in October 2024. The victim had previously survived an assassination attempt at the end of January when gunmen opened fire on his vehicle at a petrol station on a highway. The recurring nature of attacks on local officials underscores ongoing security challenges in Mexico’s municipal governance.
Context surrounding Lavín Romero’s background suggests potential connections to organized crime networks. Local media reported alleged ties between the mayor and criminal groups operating in the region. His mother-in-law, who previously served as municipal treasurer, was arrested in September 2025 on allegations of connections to a criminal organization known as Los Aparicio and involvement in kidnappings. Additionally, an activist group demanded investigations into Lavín Romero in March regarding alleged involvement in the deaths of two activists.
In May, a banner appeared in Temoac’s center, attributed to a criminal faction, that accused Lavín Romero of protecting rival groups and demanded his compliance with their interests. The killing occurs amid federal efforts to address corruption between municipal authorities and criminal organizations through Operation Swarm, under which 85 officials have been arrested across three states including Morelos. Historically, municipal governments remain the least protected and most vulnerable level of state authority in Mexico, with criminal organizations frequently targeting these positions to establish territorial control and business influence. Since 2006, when military deployments against organized crime escalated, nearly 100 mayors have been murdered nationwide.
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