Mexican federal deputy found shot dead in car in violent Veracruz state
Federal deputy Zenyazen Escobar was discovered dead from a gunshot inside his vehicle in Veracruz, authorities said.
Veracruz authorities announced Friday that federal deputy Zenyazen Escobar was discovered dead from a firearm wound inside his parked car. Minister Ricardo Ahued stated the cause was a gunshot but offered no details on intent, leaving open the possibility of murder or suicide. Escobar, 42, previously worked as a training teacher, led a teachers' union and served as Veracruz's education minister from 2018 to 2021 before being elected to the lower house of Mexico's Congress in September 2024.
The southeastern state is among the country's most violent due to the presence of narcotics-linked criminal organizations. The state's prosecutor's office has opened an investigation into the circumstances surrounding the shooting. No further information has been released at this time.
Why it matters
The killing underscores the persistent threat of violence faced by Mexican politicians in regions dominated by drug cartels.
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