Mexico mayor Joel Bravo killed weeks after another Oaxaca mayor was slain in cartel violence

A mayor of a town in southern Mexico was shot dead in an armed attack in a region affected by ongoing cartel violence, local authorities said on Saturday.

Joel Bravo, the mayor of San Miguel Amatitlan, a town with a population of nearly 7,000 people, was killed in the attack, according to prosecutors in Oaxaca state. Authorities did not provide additional details about the circumstances surrounding the incident.

Reacting to the killing, Oaxaca Governor Salomon Jara condemned the attack and said, "In Oaxaca, we will not allow violence to prevail over the law or over the will of our communities."

Following the incident, prosecutors said security measures had been strengthened in the area. Police presence has been increased, and a tactical team has been deployed alongside federal forces to identify and capture those responsible for the attack.

Oaxaca, a Pacific coast state in southern Mexico, has witnessed criminal activity linked to major drug trafficking organisations. The Jalisco Nueva Generacion Cartel and the Sinaloa Cartel are both known to operate in the region.

Violence targeting local government officials continues to be a serious concern in several parts of Mexico, particularly in rural areas where organised crime groups maintain significant influence.

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Last month, Mario Hernandez Garcia, the mayor of Santiago Amoltepec, another town in Oaxaca, was killed in an attack that also claimed the lives of two other people.

According to figures released by the non-governmental organisation Causa en Comun, at least 60 politicians or lawmakers were victims of targeted killings last year.

The country has recorded nearly 100 assassinations of mayors since 2006, when drug-related violence escalated sharply across Mexico.