Benjamín Medrano Quezada, the first openly gay person elected mayor in Mexico, was killed in an armed attack in Guadalajara, Jalisco. The 59-year-old former mayor of Fresnillo, Zacatecas, was shot on July 7 inside a commercial establishment. His body was not identified until two days later because he was not carrying identification. Mexican authorities are continuing to investigate the killing.
Investigators have not announced any arrests or identified a suspect. Early reports indicate the gunman approached Medrano inside the business, shot him at close range and fled, possibly on a motorcycle. Authorities have not established a motive and have not said whether the attack was connected to his sexual orientation, his past political career or another factor.
Medrano made history in 2013 when voters elected him mayor of Fresnillo, one of Zacatecas’ largest municipalities. He served a three-year term from 2013 to 2016 after campaigning as the Institutional Revolutionary Party (PRI) candidate and is remembered as a groundbreaking political figure.
Nearly a decade had passed since he left office, although he remained active in public life and had also served as a state legislator and organizer of the Feria Nacional de Zacatecas.
Born in the municipality of Nochistlán de Mejía, Zacatecas, Medrano rose from modest beginnings. Before entering politics, he earned a living as a singer and entertainer and owned a gay nightclub. His outgoing personality and familiarity with the public helped build a political career in a state long known for conservative social attitudes. He frequently said he had never hidden his sexual orientation and preferred to be judged by his work rather than his identity. “I have never denied it. Everybody knows it and always has,” he said in a 2013 interview. “It is more serious to be a criminal than to be homosexual.”
Although Medrano was Mexico’s most recognizable openly gay politician, little is known about his later personal life, and there is no verified public record indicating he had a husband or long-term partner.
Some news reports noted that Medrano had faced legal controversies after leaving office, including allegations of financial misconduct that he disputed, but officials have emphasized that no motive has been confirmed. His family has called for a thorough investigation, while supporters across Mexico have remembered him as a trailblazer whose 2013 election marked a milestone for LGBTQ+ political representation in the country.
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