Several people were killed and dozens injured after a stage collapsed during a campaign event in Nuevo Leon, northern Mexico on Wednesday night. The tragic incident took the lives of at least 9 individuals, including one child, and left 63 others wounded.
The collapse occurred while presidential candidate Jorge Álvarez Máynez was present at the scene. Videos shared on social media depicted chaotic scenes with people screaming and fleeing, escaping from the shaking metal stage.
Despite the harrowing situation, Álvarez Máynez managed to escape unharmed. In a statement to reporters later in the evening, he assured that the victims would not be left without assistance and announced the suspension of his upcoming campaign activities.
Mexican President Andrés Manuel López Obrador expressed condolences to the families, friends, and political supporters of the victims. Various figures from Mexican society, including other presidential candidates, joined in mourning the tragic event.
Nuevo Leon Governor Samuel Garcia advised residents to seek shelter at home during the ongoing storm. Meanwhile, Álvarez Máynez updated his social media account to inform followers that he had visited the hospital following the accident and was in good condition.
In his post, he emphasized the immediate priority of caring for those affected by the incident, as shown in the footage where he swiftly reacted to the collapsing structure and managed to avoid the falling metal frames and equipment.
Ranked third in the presidential election polls, Álvarez Máynez trails behind Claudia Sheinbaum of the Morena Party, the current leading candidate, and Xóchitl Gálvez of the opposition alliance. Sheinbaum canceled her campaign event near Monterrey the next day to show solidarity with the victims and their families.
Gálvez took to social media to express condolences to the families of the deceased and wish a speedy recovery to all the injured. Amidst the peak of the Mexican presidential campaign season, with numerous events scheduled this week and the next leading up to the elections on June 2nd, the tragic incident has added a somber note to the political landscape.