Valentín Lavín Romero, mayor of Temoac in the Mexican state of Morelos, was fatally shot on Wednesday in an attack at the town hall. This incident marks the 14th killing of a municipal mayor since Claudia Sheinbaum assumed the presidency of Mexico in October 2024.

Lavín Romero, affiliated with the Green Party and allied with the ruling left-wing Morena party, had survived an earlier assassination attempt in January, when gunmen opened fire on him at a fuel station along a motorway. In the latest attack, assailants entered the municipal building in broad daylight, fatally shooting Lavín Romero before fleeing the scene on a motorcycle.

Local reports have linked Lavín Romero to criminal organizations, though authorities have not confirmed these allegations. His mother-in-law, a former municipal treasurer, was arrested in September 2025 on charges of association with a criminal gang known as “Los Aparicio” and alleged involvement in kidnappings. Additionally, in March, the People’s Front in Defence of Land and Water, a local activist group, called for an official inquiry into Lavín Romero's purported connection to the murders of two activists, Samir Flores and Sandra Rosa Camacho Flores.

The assassination occurred amid intensified federal efforts to dismantle corruption between local governments and organized crime networks under Operation Swarm. Since its launch, the campaign has resulted in the arrest of 85 officials across multiple states, including Morelos. The federal government continues to focus on rooting out illicit ties that enable criminal groups to extend their influence over municipal territories and enterprises.

Mexico has faced a long-standing surge in violence targeting local officials since 2006, when then-President Felipe Calderón deployed the military to combat organized crime. This strategy coincided with a sharp rise in drug-related violence, disproportionately affecting municipal leaders, who represent the lowest tier of government and are often seen as vulnerable to coercion or influence by criminal factions. Nearly 100 mayors have been killed since that period.

Official data report that more than 130,000 people are currently listed as missing nationwide, underscoring the broader security crisis confronting Mexico. The Morelos prosecutor’s office has pledged to pursue all potential lines of investigation following Lavín Romero’s assassination but has yet to identify suspects or establish a definitive motive.