Introduction
On January 28, 2023, two local representatives from Movimiento Ciudadano (MC), Sergio Torres Félix and Elizabeth Rafaela Montoya Ojeda, were shot while traveling in their vehicle in the Centro neighborhood of Culiacán, Sinaloa. The attack occurred shortly after they left the State Congress following a session where the state’s Secretary of Administration and Finance presented. Both legislators sustained gunshot wounds and were taken to nearby hospitals for medical attention. As of the previous night, their conditions remained critical.
The Attack and Its Aftermath
A security detail accompanying the legislators was also injured but is currently stable. Federal authorities are conducting interagency efforts, including information exchange and video surveillance analysis to trace the attackers’ escape route. A white abandoned vehicle, possibly linked to the assault, was discovered during these investigations.
Government Response
Sinaloa’s Governor, Rubén Rocha Moya, ordered the state’s Health Secretary, Cuitláhuac González Galindo, to personally oversee the legislators’ and the injured security detail’s medical care. He also instructed the Secretary of Public Security, Óscar Rentería Schazarino, to initiate a search and arrest operation for the perpetrators and maintain communication with the State Attorney General to expedite the investigation.
MC’s National Response
The national leader of MC, Jorge Álvarez Máynez, strongly condemned the attack and stated that “Mexico’s impunity and violence crisis, particularly in Sinaloa, has surpassed all limits.” He also mentioned that Sergio Torres was critically injured following a surgical intervention and highlighted the federal government’s communication with MC to monitor the case and activate victim support mechanisms.
Contextual Background
MC currently holds limited representation in Sinaloa, comprising a municipal presidency and two local legislative seats. In the municipal sector, MC governs Elota, where Richard Millán Vázquez was elected mayor for the 2024-2027 term. Millán Vázquez was shot in October but survived the attack.
In the legislative branch, MC holds two local seats through proportional representation: Sergio Torres and Elizabeth Montoya.
Key Questions and Answers
- Who were the victims? The victims were local MC representatives Sergio Torres Félix and Elizabeth Rafaela Montoya Ojeda.
- What happened during the attack? The legislators were shot at while traveling in their vehicle on Bulevar Niños Héroes (Malecón Viejo) near their offices. Their vehicle sustained bullet impacts on the windshield and sides.
- What is MC’s current representation in Sinaloa? MC holds a municipal presidency in Elota and two local legislative seats.
- How has the government responded to the attack? The Sinaloa governor ordered personal oversight of the legislators’ medical care and initiated a search for the attackers, maintaining communication with the State Attorney General.
- What is MC’s stance on the attack? The national leader of MC, Jorge Álvarez Máynez, condemned the attack and emphasized the need to address Mexico’s impunity and violence crisis.
