A video circulating on social media shows the exact moment of the execution of businessman and Morena municipal coordination candidate Eduardo Valdovinos Padilla, known as “Lalo Valdovinos.”
The execution took place in the district of Buenos Aires—part of the municipality of Lázaro Cárdenas, Michoacán—as a public event was concluding.
The 22-second video captures a horseback procession organized in honor of Saint Martin the Knight (San Martín Caballero). The footage shows the pickup truck in which Valdovinos Padilla was traveling; at that moment, a hitman—who had arrived on foot from one side—approached and fired at him at least eight times.
After firing the initial shots, the assailant fled on foot. Meanwhile, the candidate’s bodyguards—who reacted belatedly—returned fire, causing the horse riders and attendees, alerted by the loud gunfire, to scatter.
According to official investigative reports, Eduardo Valdovinos was struck by five bullets, resulting in his death near a soccer field located close to the local church. Hours before the attack, the businessman had hosted a meal for the festival participants at his parcel-delivery business, located near the San Pedro cemetery.
Following reports of the shooting, security forces arrived at the crime scene to cordon off the area. They secured the ten bodyguards who made up the candidate’s personal security detail; these individuals were subsequently placed at the disposal of investigative authorities to provide statements and help determine legal responsibility. As of now, no arrests have been reported, and the motive for the crime has not been officially established. In addition to his intention to become involved in the political life of Lázaro Cárdenas, Valdovinos Padilla was actively engaged in the community. He had recently been recognized by local residents for using his own personal watercraft to rescue and transport dozens of neighbors who had become trapped during flooding in the municipality.
Following the confirmation of his death, family members, friends, and supporters expressed their condolences and called on the State Attorney General’s Office to swiftly clarify the circumstances of the armed attack and bring those responsible to justice.
