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A Mexican lawmaker from the ruling party was found dead, with a gunshot wound a year prior to elections

By Lizbeth Diaz

MEXICO CITY - On Friday, September 4, a member of Congress of Mexico's ruling Morena party, was found dead in Veracruz, an eastern state, from a gunshot wound. This happened a little more than a year before local and federal election.

Zenyazen Escobar, a federal lawmaker representing the coastal state - home to many of the oil complexes in the country - was found dead with at least one bullet wound inside his vehicle.

Lisbeth Lisbeth told reporters that the investigation file was being prepared, without providing any further details.

Ricardo Ahued said that the vehicle of the legislator showed no signs of violence.

Mexico's lower chamber of Congress sent condolences Escobar's friends and family, and asked judicial authorities to "conduct a thorough investigation into the fact."

The death happened as the country prepares for elections to be held on June 6, to renew positions in mayoral, state legislative, city council, and gubernatorial offices.

During previous elections, violence was linked to organized criminal groups that sought to control political figures by co-opting them.

Data Civica reports that in just one month, there were 30 "political criminal violence" incidents in 11 states of Mexico. Of these, 14 were homicides.

Zacatecas had the most cases, followed by Michoacan and Quintana-Roo with four cases each, Oaxaca with three, and then?Baja California,?Veracruz and 'Baja California, each with two.

Data Civica defines political-criminal violent as threats, murders and armed attacks. It also includes assassination efforts, kidnappings, disappearances and assassination tries.

The national?electoral?body INE has warned organized crime is a serious concern for democratic processes.

According to INE, in the past, court rulings documented the presence of armed individuals who attempted to intimidate the public or 'coerce them into voting a particular way.

(source: Reuters)