The Attack in Guadalajara
On the night of July 7, Benjamín Medrano Quezada, the former mayor of Fresnillo, Zacatecas, and the first openly gay mayor in Mexico’s history, was shot and killed inside an ice cream shop in Guadalajara, Jalisco.
The 59-year-old politician had been living in Guadalajara after leaving his home state of Zacatecas, where he faced a criminal investigation for alleged fraud amounting to more than 60 million pesos. His death marked a violent end to a political career that had broken barriers and generated controversy in equal measure.
According to security sources and official reports, the attack occurred at the intersection of Cintra Street and Experiencia Avenue in the Santa Elena de la Cruz neighborhood of Guadalajara. Medrano was inside a paletería when a heavyset man wearing a helmet entered the establishment and fired directly at him.
The gunman shot Medrano multiple times, primarily in the face and head, before fleeing on a motorcycle with an accomplice who had been waiting outside. A 17-year-old boy who was with Medrano at the time of the attack was not injured.
Emergency responders arrived at the scene but could only confirm that the former mayor had already died from a gunshot wound to the head.
The body was transferred to the Jalisco Institute of Forensic Sciences, where it remained unidentified for approximately two days because Medrano was not carrying identification at the time of the attack. His sister eventually identified the remains on July 9.
A Historic Political Career
A series of political achievements and legal entanglements marked Medrano’s life. Born on August 16, 1966, in Nochistlán de Mejía, Zacatecas, he earned a law degree from the Autonomous University of Zacatecas. He served as a local deputy in the Zacatecas Congress from 2010 to 2013, where he chaired the Finance Commission.
In 2013, he was elected mayor of Fresnillo as a candidate for the Institutional Revolutionary Party (PRI), a position he held until 2015. He subsequently served as a federal deputy from 2015 to 2018. Medrano made history as the first openly gay mayor in Mexico, a distinction that brought both national attention and personal scrutiny.
He publicly declared his homosexuality in 2016 during a legislative debate on same-sex marriage, when he was serving on the Constitutional Points Commission of the federal Congress. Beyond politics, he was also a businessman and a singer who recorded three studio albums. He owned a bar catering to the LGBT+ community in Fresnillo.
Legal Troubles and Fraud Allegations
However, Medrano’s later years were overshadowed by legal troubles. In 2022, the Zacatecas Secretariat of Public Function filed a criminal complaint against him with the state Anti-Corruption Prosecutor’s Office. The investigation centered on his tenure as president of the board of the National Fair of Zacatecas (Fenaza) in 2019, during the administration of Governor Alejandro Tello.
Prosecutors alleged that financial irregularities in the management of public funds had resulted in a loss of more than 60 million pesos to the treasury, reportedly linked to a canceled Ricky Martin concert. A warrant was issued for Medrano’s arrest, and he fled Zacatecas, living in various parts of Mexico and the United States.
However, in 2025, a court ordered the revocation of the arrest warrant, and Medrano’s family characterized the case as political persecution. At the time of his death, authorities confirmed that there was no active arrest warrant against him, though the investigation remained open.
Ongoing Investigation and Aftermath
The killing of Benjamín Medrano has drawn attention to the persistent dangers faced by public officials in Mexico, particularly those from states plagued by organized crime and political violence. His murder, carried out in a crowded commercial establishment in broad daylight, underscores the brazen nature of the violence that has come to characterize parts of the country.
While Medrano’s death occurred in Guadalajara, far from the conflict zones of Zacatecas, the circumstances of his killing remain unclear. Authorities have not established whether the attack was connected to his legal troubles, his political history, or other motives. The investigation continues, and Medrano’s brother, Juan Carlos Medrano Quezada, has called on both Jalisco state authorities and the federal government to conduct a thorough inquiry.
Medrano’s remains were returned to his hometown of Nochistlán, Zacatecas, for a private burial. His death leaves open questions about the safety of former public officials and the ongoing struggle against impunity in cases involving political figures. The lack of arrests in the days following the attack has only deepened concerns among local observers about the capacity of state institutions to solve high-profile murders.