Mexico Provides Security to Candidates Before Sunday Elections

On Sunday, June 2, about 98 million Mexicans are called to elect their next president, 500 legislators, 128 senators, and nine governors.

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The Navy Secretary Jose Ojeda indicated that 553 candidates are receiving protection. During their public trips, those citizens are escorted by 3,474 members of the Armed Forces.

Among the protected politicians are three presidential candidates: Claudia Sheinbaum, Xochitl Galvez, and Jorge Alvarez, who have an escort of 24 officers each.

Eleven gubernatorial candidates are escorted by 110 members of the security forces, said Ojeda, who added that 1,110 agents are guarding 185 candidates for senators or legislators.

In addition, 2,140 soldiers protect 354 candidates for subnational legislators and mayors. Seven election officials are also receiving federal protection.

These protective measures take place to prevent possible acts of political violence. In the months prior to this electoral process, the consulting firm DataInt counted 149 violent acts in which candidates, advisors, officials, and family members died.

According to the voting intention polls carried out so far, the leftist candidate Sheinbaum is the favorite to reach the Mexican presidency with 53 percent of citizen support. She keeps a notable advantage over the conservative candidate Xochitl Galvez.

Sheinbaum is about 27 percentage points ahead in the El Heraldo survey; 25 points in the El Economista survey; 28 points in the Indigo survey; and 23 points in the El Pais survey, according to the summary made by journalist Temoris Grecko.