Mexican mayor gunned down two hours after being sworn in

Holding public office is never an easy job. As soon as one is elected, critics and opponents want one out.

Like other officials, mayors often found themselves between a rock and hard place - just ask Athol Trollip in Nelson Mandela Bay, or look at the running battle between Joburg mayor Herman Mashaba and his predecessor Parks Tau. 

Perhaps they ought to be grateful, however, that they're not in Mexico, where taking political office is a matter of life and death.

In the latest assassination to rock the country, Alejandro Aparicio Santiago served as the mayor of Tlaxiaco for less than two hours before he was shot and killed.

According to the New York Post, Santiago died of gunshot wounds on Tuesday, the same day he was sworn is a mayor.

A man is said to have opened fire on the mayor and a group of supporters celebrating his election as mayor.

Santiago, a member of the National Regeneration Movement, and four other people were rushed to hospital.

CNN reported that a bullet punctured Santiago's right lung, causing severe internal bleeding. The mayor was on his way to his first official meeting when the shooting occurred.

A second victim died from his injuries on Wednesday.

The suspect, a former police officer, was overpowered by onlookers and later arrested in connection with the incident. Authorities are investigating the motive for the attack.

Santiago's killing is of course not an isolated incident in Mexican politics. Quoting a report by consulting firm Etellekt, the New York Post revealed that 175 politicians had been killed in Mexico between September 2017 and August 2018. 

According to The Sun, Mexican politicians are often caught in the crossfire of the country's drug wars. The most common targets are politicians who embark on campaigns against the drug trade, corruption and crime.

In some areas of the country, mayors are killed over land disputes.