MEXICO CITY, Aug 1, 2022 (BSS/AFP) - The leader of the guild of restaurants,

bars and nightclubs in the Mexican resort town of Acapulco was shot dead on
Sunday, the state prosecutor's office said.

Jesus Rivera was killed in the early hours of the morning outside a nightclub
he owned, after unknown assailants opened fire on him and then fled, state
authorities in the southern region of Guerrero said.

"The state prosecutor's office initiated an investigation against those
responsible for the crime of aggravated homicide," said a statement from the
agency.

The attack occurred at the start of the summer vacation season, one of the
busiest times of year for the town, with tourists flocking to the area's
pristine beaches.

Recent months have seen at least three attacks against nightclubs in
Acapulco, local media reported.

Guerrero, on the Pacific coast, is among the most violent states in Mexico
due to the presence of criminal gangs and drug trafficking.

Mexico, hit by a spiral of violence linked to organized crime, has registered
more than 340,000 violent deaths since December 2006, when a controversial
military anti-drug operation was launched.