Incumbent Chapala Mayor Javier Degollado has publicly cast doubt on Movimiento Ciudadano (MC) candidate Moises Anaya’s report of a death threat against him, and that local Partido Revolucionario Institutional (PRI) activists were culpable in its orchestration, as well as an alleged armed assault on MC supporters.
Degollado, running for a second term under the PRI banner, did acknowledge that fights had broken out between rival groups hours before the alleged attacks.
According to police reports, MC supporters were assailed by as-yet-unidentified men, who fired on their car at around 2:30 a.m. on Sunday, May 13. Multiple wounds from bullets and rocks were reported. The attackers also wrought severe damage to two other MC cars, stealing campaign materials in the process. No one died from either assaults.
Meanwhile, MC candidate Anaya reported being roused from his bed by gunfire at 5:30 a.m., and being greeted outside by a banner decorated with drawings of pistols, which read, “Sigues tu [you’re next], Moy Anaya.”
However, Degollado doubts Anaya’s story.
“Why was the banner tampered with, doubled up and stowed away by the candidate himself, to be then presented in a selfie on his social media profiles?” asked Degollado. “As a lawyer he is no doubt aware that the banner would be evidence containing fingerprints and other proofs [of malfeasance].”
Degollado also pointed out that his rival reported the incident not to the state police (Fiscalia) but to municipal law enforcement, and that Anaya’s neighbors reported not hearing the gunshots which disturbed the MC candidate’s sleep.
In the documented clashes between MC and PRI supporters, Degollado urged any of his party members who may be responsible to come forward and comply with the law.