At least nine people including a child were killed and about 63 others injured when part of a stage collapsed at an election rally in Mexico’s northern Nuevo León state, local officials reported. The incident occurred during a campaign event for centre-left presidential candidate Jorge Álvarez Máynez of the Citizens’ Movement party.
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The incident took place in San Pedro Garza García, a suburb of Monterrey, Nuevo León at a rally held on a baseball field. The collapse happened as Jorge Álvarez Máynez was delivering a speech to supporters.
A sudden and powerful gust of wind, described by Mr. Álvarez Máynez as an “atypical weather event,” caused the stage to collapse.
Footage posted on social media shows the moment the lighting structure began to topple leading to chaos as attendees rushed to safety.
Álvarez Máynez was uninjured and seen assisting and speaking with supporters following the collapse. Several members of his campaign team were hurt. Emergency services quickly arrived on the scene to transport the injured to various nearby hospitals.
Nuevo León State Governor Samuel García confirmed the deaths of eight adults and one child. Approximately 60 people were injured, with three requiring surgery.
Governor García visited a local hospital to check on the injured and later urged residents to stay indoors due to thunderstorms and strong winds.
He addressed the atypical nature of the weather which included wind gusts of up to 43 miles per hour and potential tornadoes.
Álvarez Máynez expressed his sorrow with the victims’ families. He announced the suspension of upcoming campaign events.
Claudia Sheinbaum and Xóchitl Gálvez, the two leading presidential candidates also canceled their scheduled events. Gálvez offered condolences and wishes for the recovery of the injured.
President Andrés Manuel López Obrador sent condolences via social media expressing his support for the victims’ families and political supporters.
Lorenia Canavati, the Citizens’ Movement candidate for the local mayoral election indicated that her team was coordinating with authorities to support the victims.
The 2024 election has been by violence with Integralia, a Mexican political consultancy reporting that around 200 public servants, politicians, and candidates have been murdered or threatened.
Jorge Álvarez Máynez entered the presidential race in January, a late start compared to Sheinbaum and Gálvez who began their campaigns in September.
The party was founded in 1999, is positioning Álvarez Máynez as a third-party alternative to the front-runners from the ruling Morena Party and the opposition coalition.
The original candidate, Samuel García nominated Álvarez Máynez after deciding to continue his gubernatorial duties.
Mexico’s meteorological service had warned of strong wind gusts and the possibility of tornadoes in Nuevo León and nearby states. The sudden weather changes on the evening of the rally were in line with these warnings.
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Governor García issued a video message urging residents to take cover due to the storms and warned of electric storms and heavy rainfall expected in the following hours.
Videos shared widely on social media captured the chaos showing strong winds and the moment the stage lighting truss collapsed.
Attendees can be seen running and screaming with some helping each other during the intense wind.
Presidential candidate Jorge Álvarez Máynez narrowly escaped injury as the stage collapsed under heavy winds.
Governor Samuel García Sepúlveda confirmed one minor among the deceased and stated that some injured individuals were in critical condition.
Álvarez Máynez described the sudden collapse attributing it to a strong gust of wind. Videos circulating on social media captured the scene showing the collapse and the efforts of attendees and organizers to seek cover.
Emergency responders swiftly arrived at the scene cordoning off the area and initiating rescue operations.
Mexico’s meteorological service had issued warnings of powerful winds reaching up to 70 kilometers per hour.
Álvarez Máynez mentioned that the severity of the wind caught organizers by surprise, despite prior checks on the stage structure by Civil Defense teams.
Álvarez Máynez, representing the Citizens’ Movement party announced the suspension of all campaign activities following the tragedy.
The incident comes during Mexico’s anticipated presidential election with two leading female candidates, Claudia Sheinbaum and Xochitl Gálvez dominating the polls.
Political violence leading up to the election has been a concern with numerous attacks on candidates reported.
Governor García Sepúlveda urged residents to remain indoors due to weather conditions. Álvarez Máynez pledged solidarity with the victims and addressed the need for a thorough investigation into the incident.
Máynez, a relatively lesser-known candidate, faces an uphill battle in the presidential race against more prominent contenders like Sheinbaum and Gálvez.
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