Pre-election violence leading up to June 7 elections in Mexico

In Mexico, mid-term elections will be held on Sunday, June 7. The government will deploy troops to help maintain safety at polling places, mainly in the southern states and Oaxaca, due to pre-election violence. A group from a radical teachers’ union attacked the offices of five political parties in Chiapas state, and in Guerrero state, explosives were thrown into a political party’s office. Some candidates and campaign workers have been killed in drug-related violence.

Advice

To minimize safety risk, travellers should avoid polling areas and all election-related or political rallies. It is illegal for foreigners, to engage in political activities in Mexico, and the penalty could be detention and/or deportation.