Her husband received telephone threats warning him not to run for mayor of Cochoapa, Guerrero, but he did and he won.

However, Daniel Esteban González was kidnapped on September 2 and has not been heard from since.

Despite that history, his wife stepped in to take his place this week when she was sworn in as acting mayor of this municipality in the La Montaña region of the state, frequently described in media reports as a place of violence, misery and marginalization.

Edith Lorenzo Rivera was named mayor in spite of the fact that her husband won the election after designating Raúl Chávez Flores as his substitute candidate.

But after mayor-elect Esteban’s kidnapping he withdrew, citing health problems, to let Lorenzo assume the office.

Then he changed his mind and began protesting Lorenzo’s appointment, which was supported by the leadership of the Democratic Revolution Party (PRD).

To further confuse matters, the leader of the PRD in the state Congress went as far as calling Chávez the main suspect in the kidnapping of Esteban. In the end, the party stayed with its decision to support Lorenzo as mayor.

The indigenous municipality of Cochoapa is ranked as the second poorest in Guerrero.