A campaign event in the Andean town of Caraz, Peru, turned deadly on Saturday when gunmen opened fire on regional candidate Susy Aponte, killing her in front of supporters. The 44-year-old, widely known by her nickname “La China Polo,” was walking through a local street market—known in the region as a tianguis, an open-air bazaar common throughout Latin America—greeting voters when the attack occurred.
A short video circulating online captures the moment shots ring out and Aponte collapses alongside several of her backers. Local authorities confirmed her death that same night, saying the shooting also left five other people wounded. All were taken to a regional hospital for treatment.
Police said they have detained a Venezuelan national in connection with the attack, though further details about a possible motive have not been released. Aponte was running in Peru’s regional elections, scheduled for October 4, seeking a leadership position in the Áncash region, located in the country’s mountainous interior. Beyond her political campaign, she was also known as a journalist and ran her own news outlet.
The killing has shocked Peruvians and reignited concerns over political violence ahead of the upcoming elections. For the full report and video footage, read the original story at Excélsior.
Source: <![CDATA[Video: Asesinan a balazos a la candidata Susy Aponte, alias “La China Polo”, en un tianguis]]> (RSS::excelsior.com.mx – Portada).
Image: KaylaKandzorra, BY 2.0 (via Openverse).