A rally for Mexican presidential candidate Jorge Álvarez Máynez turned fatal when strong winds caused a stage collapse, killing nine people and injuring 121 others.

The tragic event took place in San Pedro Garza García, Nuevo León, as winds gusting between 25 and 30 mph toppled the stage. Nuevo León Governor Samuel García Sepúlveda confirmed that among the victims was an 11-year-old child. Social media footage of the incident shows the stage, complete with a large video screen, crashing into the audience, causing panic among the attendees.

Máynez, the candidate for the center-left Citizens’ Movement party, was at the event but was not harmed. He recounted the horrifying incident to reporters, saying, “A gale came, a sudden wind, and unfortunately, it collapsed the stage, resulting in a fatal accident.”

As Governor García stated, 27 victims are still in the hospital, several suffering from skull fractures and others in critical condition requiring surgery.

In light of the disaster, Máynez has put his campaign on hold and committed to staying in the state to assist the victims and oversee the situation. “We have to have solidarity,” he declared. “Nothing can repair an accident, a damage of this nature, and [people] will not be alone in this tragedy.”

Notwithstanding his current third-place standing in a heated presidential race against frontrunners Claudia Sheinbaum, former mayor of Mexico City, and Xóchitl Gálvez, a former senator, the 38-year-old Máynez has aimed to attract younger voters and push for political reform.

This event adds to an escalating wave of violence during the election season. As per Data Cívica, a minimum of 28 candidates have been assaulted, with 16 dying so far this year. This level of violence is projected to exceed previous election cycles, leading to concerns about the security of political events nationwide.

President Andrés Manuel López Obrador extended his condolences to the families of the victims, and exonerated Máynez’s party from any fault in the incident. Both Sheinbaum and Gálvez also expressed their sympathies and suspended their campaign activities in a show of solidarity with those affected.

As the election date of June 2 nears, this heartrending incident underscores the risks and challenges confronting political candidates and their supporters.