Personal secretary and adviser to Mexico City’s mayor killed in brazen sunlight assault

The private secretary and an adviser to Mexico City’s mayor had been shot lifeless by means of gunmen in a brazen sunlight assault in a central a part of town.

Mayor Clara Brugada known as the homicide of her private secretary Ximena Guzmán and adviser José Muñoz a “direct attack”. The reason is underneath investigation, however Brugada promised that her executive would “continue its relentless fight against insecurity”.

The assault came about at about 7am on a hectic street within the Moderna neighbourhood, close to an front to the Xola metro station.

Initial studies point out that Muñoz was once ready on the street for Guzmán, who got here to pick out him up.

Video from a safety digicam display a person in a white most sensible and a motorcycle helmet ready by means of Guzmán’s automobile prior to he abruptly pulls out a pistol and begins firing – first at Muñoz, then Guzmán – prior to working off display screen. He reportedly fled with a spouse on a close-by bike.

It had the hallmarks of an organised crime hit – incidents which are moderately uncommon within the capital.

As mayor of Mexico City, Brugada holds one of the vital tough political posts within the nation after President Claudia Sheinbaum, and they’re allies within the Morena celebration.

Sheinbaum condemned the killings and mentioned throughout her morning press convention that there would no longer be impunity. Neither Guzmán nor Muñoz had a safety element, however Sheinbaum mentioned she was once no longer acutely aware of any threats towards them.

Guzmán had labored with Brugada for years and was once reportedly probably the most folks closest to her in executive.

At a press convention in a while after the assault, Brugada, wearing black, paid tribute to the 2 sufferers in a strained voice.

“[Guzmán] was a wonderful, tireless, good woman. I’ve known [Muñoz] almost since … He’s one of the most intelligent people I’ve ever met, and extremely responsible,” she mentioned. “I want to embrace their families, friends, loved ones and comrades in struggle. We in the city’s cabinet are shocked and mourn the loss of two dear comrades.”

Authorities have been investigating the reason and checking surveillance digicam pictures to spot the attackers, mentioned Brugada in a remark.

Two hours after the assault, the our bodies were got rid of by means of the police and all that was once left was once damaged glass and a pool of blood drying within the morning solar.

Just down the street, a shoeshiner mentioned he was once there when it came about.

“I was right here working when they shot them and I didn’t even realise,” he mentioned, prior to explaining: “I’m a little deaf.”

“But there was no panic,” he added. “Everyone just started looking that way and then my friend here told me there were two dead people by a car.”

“I actually didn’t hear the shots either,” mentioned the good friend, a stall proprietor known as José Antonio. “I think it must have been with a silencer.”

He added: “The killers didn’t try to hide it – they did it at rush hour.”

The murders are the highest-profile assaults on executive officers in Mexico City for the reason that assassination try at the town’s then police leader Omar García Harfuch 5 years in the past.

In that assault, gunmen connected to the Jalisco New Generation cartel ambushed García Harfuch as he left his house, riddling his automobile with loads of bullets and killing 3 folks, however no longer García Harfuch himself, who survived to turn into safety minister of as of late’s federal executive.

“We won’t let this cowardly act go unpunished,” wrote García Harfuch on X, as he promised the government’s help within the investigation.

At the scene of the crime, José Antonio, the stall proprietor, mentioned he had by no means noticed the rest love it in additional than part a century dwelling in La Moderna.

“It’s a calm neighbourhood,” he mentioned. “They were targeted. I guess for professional killers it doesn’t matter whether there are people around or not. They do it and they get out of there.”