Authorities say gunmen in western Mexico shot and killed an American couple on Wednesday, Dec. 11, in their car as they were visiting family for a holiday vacation. The murders are another setback for President Claudia Sheinbaum’s ongoing efforts to curb violence across the country.
It’s unclear why the married couple was targeted but The New York Times reported the pair were the brother and sister-in-law of the local mayor. Both were from California.
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The U.S. government said on Thursday, Dec. 12, it is “aware of the situation” and tracking it closely. The attack unfolded in one of the most violent regions of Mexico, the Michoacan State, which has been plagued by murders, abductions and drug trafficking.
Earlier this year, gunmen reportedly assassinated a police chief, and a former mayor was kidnapped. Police said she remains missing.
Sheinbaum’s first few months in office have been marred by cartel violence, including the beheading of a mayor in northern Mexico in October 2024, and the deadly shooting of migrants by Mexican soldiers.
Sheinbaum met with security officials on Tuesday, Dec. 10, in Acapulco to discuss ways to combat a wave of violent crime. The next day, a high-ranking judge was gunned down in his car in the city. Police are still investigating the assassination.
