At least 9 dead and 121 injured after stage collapses at campaign rally in Mexico

At least nine people were killed and 121 more injured after strong winds knocked down the campaign stage where a Mexican presidential candidate, Jorge Álvarez Máynez, was supporting a local nominee running for mayor of San Pedro Garza García, in the state of Nuevo León. Governor Samuel García has confirmed the number of victims; the dead include eight adults and one child.

Álvarez Máynez, a presidential hopeful representing the progressive party Citizens’ Movement (MC), was standing on stage next to Lorenia Canavati von Borstel, the mayoral candidate, when a gust of wind knocked down the stage lighting truss and the giant screen behind them, which nearly came down on the politicians and their aides. Instead, the structure collapsed on the crowd standing in the front rows.

Governor García told victims and their families that authorities will cover all funeral-related expenses and also provide assistance for children who have lost a parent.

The incident took place in El Obispo park, in the outskirts of San Pedro Garza García, which is one of the wealthiest municipalities in Latin America. The site of the accident is located about seven kilometers from the city center, far from the wealthiest neighborhoods.

A video has gone viral on social media in which several people try to rescue others trapped by the giant metal structure. In the video one can hear pleas for help and desperate cries from those trying to pull them out.

A few minutes after the accident, Álvarez Máynez posted a message on his X account saying that he was safe: “After the accident in San Pedro Garza, where a gust of wind knocked down the stage we were on, I went to San José hospital. I am fine and in communication with state authorities to follow up on what happened,” he wrote. Moments later, the candidate reported that he had left the hospital to return to the site and be with the victims. He also said he had cancelled his agenda for Thursday, which had included trips to the states of Hidalgo and Tlaxcala.

Canavati also lamented the accident in an X post. “There are no words to describe the pain and sadness everyone is feeling over the terrible accident that took place today at our campaign event. At this time all I can think of is affected people and their families. My team and I are coordinating with authorities to bring them attention and support. They are the most important thing right now,” she wrote.

In a video uploaded on his social media accounts, Governor Samuel García asked the population of the metropolitan area to take shelter from the storms and winds. Claudia Sheinbaum, the presidential candidate for the governing party Morena, announced she was cancelling a rally in Monterrey.

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