ALBAWABA - During a campaign rally in San Pedro Garza, Mexico, high winds caused a stage to collapse killing at least 6 people while 50 others were injured.
Social media videos documented the moment the stage collapsed due to a powerful gust of wind. The structure, which contained a giant television screen, falls onto the stage and part of the audience area, where candidate Jorge Álvarez Máynez and his staff can be seen running for shelter.
Álvarez Máynez stated that he was not injured in the tragic incident that took place during his campaign rally in the northeastern city of San Pedro Garza García.
Álvarez Máynez later said he was suspending all campaign activities after the collapse but would remain in the state to monitor the situation and victims.
"We have to have solidarity, there is nothing that can repair an accident, a damage of this nature, and [people] will not be alone in this tragedy and through the consequences that this tragedy will have in their lives," Álvarez Máynez said in his statement.
Civil defense teams said that they had checked the safety of the structure prior to the rally, however, the severity of the winds took everyone by surprise.
Álvarez Máynez added weather conditions were very unusual, "the rain didn’t last for even five minutes… it wasn’t even a storm, it was truly atypical what happened," he stated.
Governor García warned of more high winds, thunderstorms, and rain, urging residents to stay inside. On June 2, Mexico will hold its largest-ever election. Political violence and assassinations have escalated in the run-up to the election.
According to data from the research company Data Cívica, as of April 1, at least 28 candidates had been attacked, with 16 of them died. This number is expected to surpass even the most violent election cycles in Mexico's history, CNN reported.
