A court judge has been killed in Mexico. The judge identified as Edmundo Roman Pinzon, who was president of the Superior Court of Justice in Guerrero state, was shot dead on Wednesday, December 11, in Acapulco. The once glamorous beach destination is now plagued by violence.
The death of Pinzon has been confirmed by local media and Guerrero state prosecutor’s office. He was reportedly shot at least four times while inside his car outside a courthouse in Acapulco.
In a statement by, the Guerrero state prosecutor’s office it confirmed it was “investigating the crime of aggravated homicide against Edmundo N,” in line with the practice of not disclosing full names.
This is the latest killing in a string of violent incidences in the state. A Mayor of Chilpancingo, the state capital, was murdered and decapitated just a few days after resuming office. A few weeks later, 19 people were left dead after a clash between gang members and security forces in the region. Last month a shocking discovery of a dozen dismembered bodies were found inside vehicles in Chilpancingo.
Acapulco, is Guerrero’s largest city and was once courted by celebrities and wealthy tourists. In recent times, its been transformed into one of the world’s most dangerous cities, with much of the violence linked to drug cartels. The city has lost much of its tourist traffic over the past decade.
The k!lling occurred just over a week after President Claudia Sheinbaum convened a meeting of the National Public Security Council in Acapulco, which was attended by state governors.
Mexico has recorded more than 450,000 murders since 2006, when the government launched an offensive against organized crime in the country.
Sheinbaum, who recently was sworn into office in October as Mexico’s first female president, has ruled out reviving the controversial “war on drugs” strategy. Instead, she has committed to continue her predecessor Andrés Manuel López Obrador’s “hugs not bullets” policy, which focuses on dealing with the root causes of crime through social programs.
Guerrero still remains one of Mexico’s most violent states with an estimated 1,890 murders recorded last year.