A former Mexican congressman was shot dead in a bold attack at a Starbucks café.
The 56-year-old politician, Luis Armando Cordova Diaz, was killed on Tuesday, May 13, 2025, as reported by the Spanish-language publication El Financiero. The incident occurred in the Valle Real neighborhood of Zapopan, Jalisco, Mexico.
PRI (Institutional Revolutionary Party) Leader Alejandro Moreno commented on the killing, stating that Díaz was executed in broad daylight, underscoring the extent of violence and impunity in the country.
According to the news outlet, Díaz was at a Starbucks with his wife and another person when two men on a motorcycle shot him multiple times in the head. He had previously served as both a local and federal deputy for the PRI party in Mexico.
Video footage has emerged showing the aftermath of the scene.
The Spanish-language site Latin U.S. reported that the former congressman had also served as the party secretary and had been a mayoral candidate.
In another recent incident, José Luis Pereira Robles, a senior member of the Teocaltiche city government in Jalisco state, was shot and killed on April 28 while dining at a seafood restaurant. This assassination occurred in a region where the Jalisco New Generation Cartel is active, which was recently designated a terrorist organization by the US government. The attack took place in an area that had experienced significant cartel violence, including the kidnapping and dismemberment of police officers in February 2025.
Mayoral candidate Yesenia Lara Gutiérrez from the ruling Morena party was killed on Sunday, May 11, 2025, in Texistepec, Veracruz. Her assassination was captured during a Facebook livestream of her campaign rally. She was killed alongside four others while interacting with residents and parading through the streets. President Claudia Sheinbaum confirmed the attack, stating that her government was coordinating with Veracruz state officials on the investigation.
Mexico continues to face a severe crisis of political violence in 2025, a continuation of the patterns established during the record-breaking 2024 election cycle. The political environment remains hazardous, especially at local levels where criminal organizations exert significant influence to control government functions vital to their operations.
The 2024 Mexican elections were the deadliest in modern history, with at least 63 political figures assassinated between June 2023 and June 2024. During the campaign period, political murders became increasingly common, with criminal organizations using assassination as a strategy to influence electoral outcomes, primarily targeting local candidates who could interfere with cartel interests.
The political violence that characterized the 2024 elections has persisted into 2025. Mexico remains one of the world’s most dangerous countries for political figures, journalists, and human rights defenders.
The fragmentation of major cartels, particularly the conflict between the CJNG (Jalisco New Generation Cartel) and the Sinaloa Cartel, has intensified in 2025. These organizations have expanded beyond drug trafficking into various economic activities, increasing their desire to control local government.
Guanajuato, Michoacán, and Guerrero remain dangerous regions, with criminal turf wars focused on strategic areas. In these states, political assassinations continue to be used as a means of establishing territorial control and influence over local governance.
The ongoing violence has severe implications for Mexican democracy. Many potential candidates avoid running for office due to safety concerns, while others campaign with extensive security details, wearing bulletproof vests and traveling in armored vehicles. This environment restricts political participation and undermines the democratic process.
Local elections are particularly affected, as municipal presidents (mayors) control resources, tax revenue, and local police forces—attractive targets for criminal influence. The systematic targeting of politicians who oppose criminal interests effectively allows organized crime to choose local officials by eliminating opposition.
President Sheinbaum’s administration has inherited the complex security challenges of her predecessor. While the government continues to provide security details to threatened politicians, the effectiveness of these measures remains limited. The persistence of political assassinations highlights the challenges Mexico faces in combating the influence of organized crime on its democratic institutions.
Mexico’s fight against political violence takes place against a backdrop of broader security concerns, including one of the world’s highest rates of disappearances, with over 115,000 people missing as of September 2024. This combination of factors presents significant challenges to the country’s governance and democratic integrity in 2025.
