TEMOAC, MORELOS — Mayor Valentín Lavín Romero of Temoac, Morelos, was shot and killed on Wednesday morning inside the town hall, according to state authorities. The assassination follows months of targeted threats and a previous attempt on his life earlier this year, underscoring the escalating violence driven by organized crime in eastern Morelos.
According to reports from Mexico’s Agencia Reforma and local law enforcement, the attack occurred inside the municipal headquarters located approximately 80 kilometers (50 miles) east of Cuernavaca. Unofficial reports indicate that two unidentified assailants wearing helmets arrived on a motorcycle, entered the municipal building, and opened fire directly on Lavín Romero before fleeing the scene. Emergency responders pronounced the mayor dead at the site.
The Ecological Green Party of Mexico (PVEM) politician, who previously worked as a local taxi driver before entering office, had long been targeted by criminal factions operating in the eastern region of Morelos. On January 31, 2026, Lavín Romero survived an armed ambush along the Mexico-Oaxaca highway while traveling with his wife. Months later, in May, a criminal banner (narcomanta) surfaced in the town center threatening the mayor for allegedly refusing to align with a local syndicate while protecting a rival group accused of extortion. Additionally, multiple commercial properties tied to Lavín Romero were attacked by gunmen earlier this year.
In response to the killing, state and federal authorities—including the Regional Eastern Prosecutor’s Office, the Army, and the National Guard—deployed a massive security sweep across Temoac and neighboring municipalities to track down the shooters. Federal Security Minister Omar García Harfuch noted that investigators are reviewing potential links to ongoing turf wars between local organized crime groups operating in eastern Morelos.
Temoac has remained a high-risk zone following the late 2025 arrest of the town’s municipal treasurer, Andrea Angelina (“La Patrona”), who was accused of leading “Los Aparicio,” a cartel sub-group implicated in kidnapping, extortion, and drug trafficking.
State authorities confirmed that no suspects have been detained yet, as forensics teams and the state Attorney General’s Office continue their investigation into the assassination.
Source: Reforma
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