Mexico’s election rally stage collapsed, killed nine people including child

• The incident occurred during a speech by center-left presidential candidate Jorge Alvarez Maynez.
• Maynez, uninjured, was seen speaking to supporters after the collapse.
• The collapse was caused by a sudden gust of wind, a “typical [weather] event.”

The local governor has confirmed that at least nine people, including a child, have been killed, and approximately 50 others have been injured after part of a stage collapsed at an election rally in Mexico’s northern Nuevo León state. The incident occurred as center-left presidential candidate Jorge Alvarez Maynez was delivering a speech in the city of San Pedro Garza Garcia, near Monterrey.

Mr. Maynez, uninjured in the collapse, was seen speaking to supporters following the incident. He reported that several members of his team had been hurt. In a post on X, Mr. Maynez stated that the collapse was caused by a sudden gust of wind.

Footage has emerged showing the moment the lighting structure collapsed while several people were on the stage. A video posted on social media depicted Mr. Maynez waving to his supporters and then rushing to the back of the stage for safety as he realized part of the structure was toppling over.

Voices of people screaming and running from the stage can also be heard.

”First I saw the musicians’ drums, from the group that was going to play, were going to get blown away,” Mr. Maynez said.

“When the others noticed, they ran in different directions; some jumped to the sides and I jumped back,” he added.

Mr. Maynez said the sudden gust of wind came without forewarning, describing it as an “atypical [weather] event”. “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,” he told reporters at the scene.

State Governor Samuel Garcia said the victims were eight adults and one child. He added that three of those injured required surgery following a visit to a local hospital. Mr. Garcia urged residents to stay indoors because of thunderstorms and strong winds in the area in a post on social media.

“If you can, avoid going out because there are storms and atypical winds. I will keep you informed,” he wrote on X.

Mexican President Andrés Manuel López Obrador stated that he was sending “a hug to family members, friends of the victims, and political supporters”. Mr. Maynez, 38, is the candidate of the Citizens’ Movement party and currently trails in third place in national polls behind Claudia Sheinbaum of the ruling Morena Party and Xóchitl Gálvez from the opposition coalition.

The Citizens’ Movement Party originally nominated Mr. Garcia as their candidate, but he nominated his campaign coordinator, Mr. Maynez, instead after a dispute over who would step in as governor while he campaigned. Mexican law requires officials to step down if they run for office. As a result, Mr. Maynez entered the presidential race in January – a relatively late start compared with Ms. Sheinbaum and Ms. Gálvez, who entered in September.

His previous role as campaign coordinator means he is relatively unknown compared to the two front-runners. Mr. Maynez announced that he would suspend upcoming campaign events, and Ms. Sheinbaum said she had canceled an appearance in nearby Monterrey on Thursday.

“My condolences and prayers with the families of the dead, and my wishes for a speedy recovery to all those injured,” Ms Gálvez wrote on social media.

The lead-up to the election, scheduled for 2 June, has been one of the deadliest in Mexico’s history. A recent survey by Mexican political consultancy firm Integralia indicated that some 200 public servants, politicians, and candidates have been murdered or threatened in the lead-up to the poll. There have been no reported incidents at campaign events.

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