Candidate running for local congress killed in Oaxaca

Six days ahead of election day, Emigdio López Avendaño , running for local deputy was killed yesterday afternoon in the municipality of San Vicente Coatlán, in the Central Valleys region of Oaxaca .

The candidate, who was running for the left National Regeneration Party (MORENA), was shot to death alongside four more individuals, according to the statements made by MORENA representative Flavio Sosa Villavicencio, published on social networks.

According to early reports, the candidate was ambushed by unknown assailants on the road from Yogana to Coatlán. It seems several other people were also wounded during the attack and have been transferred to a local hospital, although there isn't an exact number of victims.

López Avendaño was an agronomist, graduated from the Autonomous University of Chilpancingo, and was head of the Agriculture Department during the administration of Gabino Cué.

“MORENA condemns the brutal attack against our colleagues and demands most decisively the cease of political violence in Oaxaca,” said Sosa Villavicencio.

With the murder of López Avendaño, the death toll of candidates killed during the 2018 General Election rises to 48 .

Thus far, neither the local Prosecutor's Office nor the Ministry of Public Security of Oaxaca have issued a statement regarding this case.

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