Gunmen killed the mayor of a town in the troubled Mexican state of Michoacan on Saturday, more than a year after he had survived a previous assassination attempt, officials said.
"With deep consternation and indignation, I strongly condemn the cowardly murder of Gustavo Garibay Garcia, mayor of Tanhuato," Michoacan Governor Fausto Vallejo said on Twitter.
Garibay Garcia, who survived a similar attempt on his life in October 2012, was shot dead as he left home.
The Knights Templar gang has taken hold of much of Michoacan's economy, demanding protection payments from farmers and shopkeepers as well as extracting iron ore that they then export to China.
Fed up with the failure of local police to curb the drug cartel's reign of violence and extortion, civilians began to form vigilante units more than a year ago in the western state's Tierra Caliente farming area.
Gunmen killed the mayor of a town in the troubled Mexican state of Michoacan on Saturday, more than a year after he had survived a previous assassination attempt, officials said.
“With deep consternation and indignation, I strongly condemn the cowardly murder of Gustavo Garibay Garcia, mayor of Tanhuato,” Michoacan Governor Fausto Vallejo said on Twitter.
Garibay Garcia, who survived a similar attempt on his life in October 2012, was shot dead as he left home.
The Knights Templar gang has taken hold of much of Michoacan’s economy, demanding protection payments from farmers and shopkeepers as well as extracting iron ore that they then export to China.
Fed up with the failure of local police to curb the drug cartel’s reign of violence and extortion, civilians began to form vigilante units more than a year ago in the western state’s Tierra Caliente farming area.
