Nine people were killed and a presidential candidate was briefly hospitalized after a stage collapsed under heavy winds during a campaign rally in Mexico on Wednesday.
Jorge Álvarez Máynez, the candidate in question, reported no injuries following the incident at his campaign event in San Pedro Garza García, a city in northeastern Mexico. The collapse occurred amidst a sudden gale, causing the stage, which featured a large video screen, to fall onto the stage and part of the audience area.
Nuevo Leon Governor Samuel García Sepúlveda confirmed that at least 121 people were injured, with some in stable condition and others undergoing surgery. Among the deceased was a minor. The governor has offered to cover funeral and hospital expenses for the victims.
“What we experienced happened in just a few seconds: A gale came, a sudden wind, and unfortunately, it collapsed the stage, resulting in a fatal accident,” Álvarez Máynez told Reuters. He described the chaotic scene, noting how he and others on stage scrambled for safety as the structure gave way.
Videos on social media captured the moment the gust of wind caused the stage to collapse, with Álvarez Máynez and his team running for cover. Emergency vehicles swiftly arrived at the scene, and footage showed injured individuals being carried away while the area was secured by armed personnel.
Meteorological data from nearby Monterrey indicated thunderstorms with winds gusting at 40 to 50 kilometers per hour (25 to 30 miles per hour). It is believed the stage was impacted by a gust front, a sudden wind shift caused by nearby thunderstorms.
Following the incident, Álvarez Máynez announced the suspension of all campaign activities to focus on the aftermath of the tragedy. “We have to have solidarity; there is nothing that can repair an accident, a damage of this nature, and [people] will not be alone in this tragedy and through the consequences that this tragedy will have in their lives,” he stated.
The 38-year-old congressman, representing the center-left Citizens’ Movement party, was named the party’s candidate in January after Governor García Sepúlveda withdrew to resume his gubernatorial duties amidst political turmoil.
President Andrés Manuel López Obrador extended condolences to the victims’ families during his daily press conference and expressed support for the Citizens’ Movement. Mexico is preparing for its largest election in history on June 2, an election cycle marred by increasing political violence and assassinations.
The presidential race is primarily between Claudia Sheinbaum, a former Mexico City mayor and ally of President López Obrador, and Xochitl Gálvez, a former senator representing the opposition coalition. With both women leading the polls, Mexico is poised to elect its first female president.
An estimated 70,000 candidates are vying for more than 20,000 positions, including the national presidency and governorships of nine states. This year, at least 28 candidates have been attacked, with 16 fatalities recorded by April 1, according to Data Cívica, a research group. This figure is on track to surpass the bloodiest election cycles in Mexico’s history.
