Mexico Judge Gunned Down Outside Courthouse

Judge Edmundo Roman Pinzon, president of the Superior Court of Justice in Guerrero state, was shot dead in Mexico’s violence-plagued city of Acapulco on Wednesday.

According to reports, the incident occurred outside an Acapulco courthouse, where Pinzon was shot at least four times in his car.

AFP reported that this tragic event is the latest in a series of violent incidents in Guerrero state. In October, the mayor of Chilpancingo was killed and decapitated just days after taking office. Weeks later, armed clashes between alleged gang members and security forces left 19 people dead in the state. Last month, a dozen dismembered bodies were discovered in vehicles in Chilpancingo.

Acapulco, once a popular tourist destination, has struggled with violence over the past decade, earning its reputation as one of the world’s most violent cities.

The Guerrero state prosecutor’s office has launched an investigation into Pinzon’s murder, stating they are “investigating the crime of aggravated homicide against Edmundo N,” in line with the usual practice of not giving full names.

The killing comes just over a week after President Claudia Sheinbaum led a meeting of the National Public Security Council in Acapulco, with state governors in attendance. Sheinbaum has ruled out launching a new “war on drugs,” instead pledging to stick to her predecessor Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador’s “hugs not bullets” strategy of using social policy to address the causes of crime.

As Sheinbaum stated, she aims to address the root causes of crime through social policy. Mexico has seen over 450,000 murders since 2006, with many linked to drug trafficking.

Last year, Guerrero state recorded 1,890 murders, highlighting the need for effective solutions to combat violence in the region.

AFP