At least nine people, including a child, died after strong wind gusts caused a stage in northern Mexico to collapse during a campaign rally on Wednesday, authorities said.Jose Juan, who was at the rally, recounted how the structure came crashing down on the candidates and their supporters.
“It hit me on the head and I fainted. The rest was pure hysteria, pure panic,” he told broadcaster Televisa.
Mexico’s meteorological service had earlier warned of heavy rain, wind gusts of up to 70 kilometers (43 miles) per hour and possible tornadoes in Nuevo Leon and other northern states.
Governor Garcia called on people to avoid going outside because of the storms.
In a post on social media, President Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador offered his sympathies to the family members and friends of the victims.
The other two presidential candidates also expressed solidarity with those affected.
Frontrunner Claudia Sheinbaum said that she was canceling a rally planned for Thursday in Monterrey, expressing “solidarity with the family and friends of the victims.”
Main opposition presidential candidate Xochitl Galvez offered “condolences and prayers” to the families of those killed and “wishes for a speedy recovery to all the injured.”
On June 2, Mexicans will vote for a new president as well as members of Congress, several state governors and local officials.
According to the polls, Maynez lags behind both Sheinbaum and Galvez, trailing at a distant third ahead of the vote.
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