A judge was shot and killed on Wednesday outside a courthouse in Acapulco, Guerrero, Mexico, in a brazen attack that has raised concerns over the escalating violence in the region.
The victim has been identified as Edmundo Roman Pinzon, the president of the Superior Court of Justice in Guerrero state.
According to local media, Pinzon was shot at least four times while sitting in his car outside the courthouse in the city.
The killing of Pinzon comes just weeks after a wave of violence in the state, including the brutal murder of the mayor of Chilpancingo, Guerrero’s capital, who was decapitated shortly after taking office in October.
The violence in Guerrero state, particularly in Acapulco, has intensified in recent years, with drug-related violence and gang clashes claiming many lives.
In the weeks following the mayor’s murder, armed confrontations between alleged gang members and security forces led to the deaths of 19 people, further underlining the security crisis in the region.
Local authorities are investigating Pinzon’s death as an aggravated homicide, according to a statement from the Guerrero state prosecutor’s office.
The statement did not provide further details about the circumstances surrounding the judge’s assassination, but the murder marks another tragic chapter in Acapulco’s descent into violence.
Acapulco, once a glamorous destination known for its pristine beaches and wealthy visitors, has seen a dramatic shift in recent years.
The city, once a playground for the rich and famous, has now become one of the world’s most dangerous places due to an increase in gang violence and organized crime.
Despite efforts to attract tourists, the city’s reputation has been tainted by the ongoing bloodshed that has claimed the lives of both locals and visitors.
In the past month alone, the bodies of 12 people were discovered dismembered in vehicles in Chilpancingo, another grim reminder of the brutal violence that plagues Guerrero.
While the violence in Guerrero has captured national attention, it is part of a broader crisis that has affected much of Mexico over the past decade.
Since 2006, when the Mexican government launched an aggressive campaign against drug cartels, more than 450,000 people have been killed in violence linked to organized crime.
The government’s war on drugs, however, has faced criticism for its heavy-handed approach and the failure to curb violence in many parts of the country.
In response to this growing violence, President Claudia Sheinbaum, who took office in October as Mexico’s first female president, has ruled out continuing the previous administration’s “war on drugs” strategy.
Instead, Sheinbaum has pledged to follow the approach of her predecessor, Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador, who focused on using social programs to address the root causes of crime with the slogan “hugs, not bullets.”
Despite these efforts, the violence continues to spiral, particularly in states like Guerrero, where criminal groups remain entrenched and powerful.
Last year, Guerrero recorded 1,890 murders, making it one of the deadliest states in Mexico.
The assassination of Judge Pinzon is just the latest indication that the security situation in Guerrero is worsening, with law enforcement struggling to contain the violence.
The killing has drawn widespread condemnation, with many citizens and officials calling for stronger measures to protect those working in the justice system.
“We must do everything possible to ensure that those who fight for justice are protected,” said a representative from a human rights organization in Mexico City. “This attack is an attack on the rule of law.”
Pinzon’s murder is particularly concerning because it highlights the vulnerability of those working in the judicial system in Mexico, where judges, lawyers, and other legal professionals have increasingly become targets of organized crime.
The killing also casts a shadow over the National Public Security Council, which met in Acapulco just over a week before Pinzon’s murder.
The meeting, attended by state governors and other top officials, aimed to address the growing violence in Mexico, but the continued killings
