Former Mayor of Fresnillo, Zacatecas Gunned Down in Guadalajara, Jalisco

By "El Huaso" for Borderland Beat

Benjamín Medrano Quezada, former mayor of Fresnillo and former federal deputy, was murdered during an armed attack in the Santa Elena de la Cruz neighborhood of Guadalajara, Jalisco on July 7th.

According to Informador, Quezada was inside a paleteria on the evening of July 7th when a lone gunman wearing a motorcycle helmet entered and shot him in the head, before fleeing on a motorcycle. Quezada died at the scene. Quezada was not reported as the victim for two days, as he was not carrying identification on him.

Quezada served as mayor of Fresnillo, Zacatecas, from 2013 to 2016, becoming the first openly gay man elected to the position in Mexico. He previously served as a federal deputy and built a successful parallel career as a regional Mexican music performer, which helped sustain his strong public profile across politics and entertainment.

Following his tenure as mayor, he was the subject of a corruption investigation, with state authorities accusing him of embezzling 60 million pesos (3.5 million USD) from funds from the Feria Nacional de Zacatecas. An arrest warrant was issued, and Quezada went on the run, claiming political persecution. The case never was settled.

Sources: Informador, Josue Aguilar Twitter, ReporteIndigo