Mexico City - Claudia Sheinbaum, the leading presidential candidate in Mexico, experienced a chilling encounter at a roadblock on Sunday, highlighting the dangerous security situation in the country amidst a deadly turf war between rival cartels and government forces. Sheinbaum, on track to become Mexico's first female president, was stopped at a checkpoint by a group of masked men who urged her to remember the plight of the mountains and the poor people when she reaches power.

The incident occurred in Comalapa, a small town in the southern state of Chiapas, where the Sinaloa Cartel and the Jalisco New Generation Cartel have been battling for control, plunging the region into chaos. These unidentified masked men were referred to as "autodefensas" by Latinus, an online news site, signifying that they were armed civilians patrolling their communities.

Sheinbaum's response to the encounter raised questions, as she insinuated that the incident was staged by her wealthy opponents. In her comments to the press, she described them as villagers and deemed the situation strange. However, some villagers reportedly claimed that the masked men were members of the Sinaloa cartel. President Andrés Manuel López Obrador downplayed the incident, dismissing it as propaganda planted by political enemies. He assured that an investigation would be conducted but considered it not "very serious."

The alarming incident at the checkpoint sheds light on the fragile security situation in Mexico. The ongoing territorial disputes and power struggles among cartels have transformed parts of the country into highly violent regions. Even politicians have not been spared from this violence, with 17 candidates assassinated during this political season alone. Just recently, two mayoral candidates were found dead, prompting the government to offer police protection to 250 candidates.

Tiziano Breda, an expert on political violence in Mexico, emphasized that incidents like these pose a significant threat to Mexico's leading presidential candidate. He criticized the dismissal of such events by the government, suggesting that it implies a lack of control over organized crime and further growth of criminal activities.

Despite the security risks, Sheinbaum's campaign has focused on social programs that have garnered significant support, mirroring the popularity of the current president. In contrast, her opponent, Xóchitl Gálvez, has prioritized security concerns as a central theme in her campaign, vowing to create "A Mexico without fear."

As the June 2nd elections approach, the incident at the checkpoint serves as a stark reminder of the challenges that Mexico faces in maintaining security and the urgent need to address the escalating violence in the country.