The municipal president of San Miguel Amatitlán, Oaxaca, Joel Ángel Bravo Martínez, was shot to death in an attack perpetrated by an armed group at his home, in a new episode of violence against local authorities in Mexico.

The homicide occurred in this community in the Mixteca region, in the south of the country, when the 53-year-old mayor was preparing to start his daily activities. According to preliminary reports, armed men arrived at his home and opened fire on him, causing his death at the scene.

The Attorney General's Office of the State of Oaxaca confirmed the crime and reported that it opened an investigation folder for high-impact crimes. In addition, experts and ministerial agents were sent to the area to collect evidence and carry out the corresponding procedures.

The governor of Oaxaca, Salomón Jara Cruz, condemned the murder and assured that state authorities deployed a security operation to locate and capture those responsible. “In Oaxaca we will not allow violence to prevail over the law or the will of our communities,” the state president expressed through social networks.

He had reported threats and requested protection

The murder occurred just weeks after Bravo Martínez publicly denounced security problems in the region and expressed concern for his physical integrity.

According to local media, the mayor had reported in May that he had been the victim of an incident related to an alleged virtual kidnapping when he was traveling on the Acatlán-Huajuapan highway. Subsequently, he also denounced the presence of criminal groups that operate between the states of Oaxaca and Puebla, an area where assaults against transporters and travelers are frequently recorded.

Various reports indicate that, after these events, the mayor requested protection measures from state authorities during security meetings. However, so far there is no official confirmation as to whether such protection was granted or rejected.

Bravo Martínez governed San Miguel Amatitlán under the acronym of the National Action Party (PAN) and had come to office backed by the coalition made up of PAN, PRI and PRD in the 2024 elections.

They reinforce security and the federal government participates

After the crime, the Security Cabinet of the Government of Mexico announced that federal institutions will collaborate with the Oaxaca authorities to clarify the facts and arrest those responsible. Through an official message, federal authorities indicated that agencies such as the Ministry of Security and Citizen Protection, the Attorney General's Office and the Armed Forces reinforced their presence in the region to support investigations and strengthen surveillance efforts.

Until now, no arrests have been reported nor has a line of investigation been made known regarding the motive for the murder.

The case occurs in a context of persistent violence against public officials and political actors in Mexico. Civil organizations have documented dozens of attacks against municipal authorities, candidates and public servants in recent years, particularly in regions where criminal groups operate that dispute strategic routes for illicit activities.

The death of Joel Ángel Bravo Martínez is also recorded just two days after another Oaxacan mayor, César Figueroa, municipal president of Miahuatlán de Porfirio Díaz, survived an armed attack in which he was injured, increasing concern for the security of local authorities in the state.