Introduction
The assassination of Ximena Guzmán and José Muñoz, the personal secretary and advisor to CDMX’s Chief of Government, Clara Brugada, has once again exposed the vulnerability of those working in Mexico’s political environment. The crime occurred yesterday at 7:30 AM when a gunman approached their vehicle and fired multiple shots. Security cameras only show one assailant, with no apparent accomplices on-site, though later reports mentioned abandoned motorcycles and a vehicle suspected to have been used in the getaway. President Claudia Sheinbaum vowed no impunity, yet as of the previous day, there were no arrests made.
The Case: A Growing Concern
This incident is not isolated. Political violence has transcended its association with election campaigns or rural regions, now affecting officials and collaborators in the heart of Mexico City. According to media reports, homicides in Mexico City have slightly increased in the first quarter of 2025 compared to the same period last year.
In 2024, Mexico witnessed the most violent elections in recent history, with an estimated 22 to 38 candidates killed. Data Cívica documented 1,777 cases of political violence from 2018 to April 2024, including homicides, threats, kidnappings, and attacks against politicians and public servants.
Structural Issues in Mexico’s Justice System
Beyond the numbers, the problem is systemic. Human Rights Watch reports that Mexico’s national homicide clearance rate hovers around 17%. This implies that annually, between 5,000 and 5,500 murders are judicially processed from an approximate total of 30,000. However, processing a case does not equate to conviction; many cases fail to result in a guilty verdict. Consequently, organizations like Impunidad Cero estimate that actual impunity—cases without a definitive sentence—exceeds 90%. In political crimes, this figure is likely even higher.
Guzmán and Muñoz’s Case: Adding to the List of Unsolved Crimes
In this context, Guzmán and Muñoz’s case joins a long list of unsolved crimes. Similar to recent cases—such as the murder of Yesenia Lara, a Morena candidate for Texistepec’s mayoral position in Veracruz on May 11, or the killing of a rear admiral in Manzanillo last November—the pattern repeats: organized crime, overwhelmed authorities, and empty official discourse.
The “hugs not bullets” narrative, frequently emphasized during the previous administration, clashes with reality in parts of the country governed by criminal entities. Cartels not only dispute routes or markets but also dictate candidacies, impose conditions, eliminate obstacles, and finance campaigns.
Call for Deep Reforms
Promising justice is no longer sufficient. Profound reforms are necessary: strengthening prosecution offices, professionalizing police forces, safeguarding candidates and officials, and most importantly, severing the links between crime and politics. Until these changes occur, pledges of “no impunity” will remain hollow words repeated by governments of all colors, failing to translate into justice for victims.
Key Questions and Answers
- What threat did Ximena Guzmán and José Muñoz pose that someone decided to silence them with bullets? Unfortunately, the specific threat they posed remains unclear. Investigations are ongoing to determine the motive behind their assassination.
- How deeply corrupted is the system when even advisors are not safe? The recent surge in political violence suggests a significant level of corruption and erosion of law enforcement capabilities.
