Gunmen storm Mexican village hall, assassinate mayor

On Sunday, June 15, 2025, Lilia Gema García Soto, the mayor of San Mateo Piñas in Oaxaca, Mexico, was assassinated during an attack at the municipal palace.

Armed assailants stormed the building, fatally shooting García Soto and another municipal official, Eli García Ramírez.

Two police officers were also injured in the incident. The perpetrators fled the scene, and authorities are investigating the motive behind the attack.

García Soto had served as mayor since December 2022.

San Mateo Piñas, located in the mountainous Sierra Sur region, has a population of approximately 2,000 residents.

The community’s economy is primarily based on agriculture, notably coffee cultivation.

In recent years, the area has faced challenges such as the coffee rust fungus, which has significantly impacted coffee production, leading to a decline in population as families migrated in search of better opportunities.

The assassination of García Soto highlights the increasing violence against local officials in Mexico, often attributed to organized crime groups seeking to exert control over municipalities.

These groups may target mayors to influence local governance, extort resources, or retaliate against anti-crime measures.

The Mexican government has condemned the killing and pledged to bring the perpetrators to justice.

This incident underscores the challenges faced by local governments in regions affected by organized crime and the importance of ensuring the safety of public officials to maintain governance and public trust.

WHO WAS MAYOR LILIA?

Lilia Gema García Soto was the mayor of San Mateo Piñas, a municipality located in the Sierra Sur region of Oaxaca, Mexico.

She was elected in December 2022 through the indigenous community’s traditional assembly system, known as “Usos y Costumbres,” which governs 417 municipalities in Oaxaca .

San Mateo Piñas, with a population of approximately 2,000 residents, is primarily an agricultural community, focusing on coffee cultivation.

However, the region has faced significant challenges, including the coffee rust fungus.

This has severely impacted coffee production and led to a population decline as families migrated in search of better opportunities .

During her tenure, García Soto worked to address these issues, emphasizing the importance of community support and government assistance.

She highlighted the role of remittances from family members abroad and federal social programs in sustaining the local population .

Tragically, on June 15, 2025, García Soto was assassinated during an attack at the municipal palace.

Armed assailants stormed the building, resulting in her death and that of another municipal official.

Two police officers were also injured in the incident.

The perpetrators fled the scene, and authorities are investigating the motive behind the attack .

Her assassination underscores the increasing violence against local officials in Mexico, often attributed to organized crime groups seeking to exert control over municipalities.

The Mexican government has condemned the killing and pledged to bring the perpetrators to justice .

García Soto’s death marks the second mayoral assassination in Oaxaca in 2025, following the killing of Mario Hernández, mayor of Santiago Amoltepec, in May.

These incidents highlight the challenges faced by local governments in regions affected by organized crime and the importance of ensuring the safety of public officials to maintain governance and public trust.

For Diaspora Digital Media Updates click on Whatsapp, or Telegram. For eyewitness accounts/ reports/ articles, write to: citizenreports@diasporadigitalmedia.com. Follow us on X (Fomerly Twitter) or Facebook