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Guatemalan mayor beaten, burned alive by revenge-driven angry mob

By Andrew V. Pestano

CONCEPCION, Guatemala, Oct. 13 (UPI) -- The mayor of Guatemala's western town of Concepcion was killed in an apparent retaliatory mob lynching over an earlier attack on the mayor's political opponent.

Mayor Bacilio Juracan died after being beaten and set on fire on Sunday in Concepcion, in the Solola province about 60 miles from capital Guatemala City.

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The incident's roots began last month when Juracan defeated Lorenzo Sequec in Concepcion's mayoral race. After losing the election, Sequec accused Juracan of mismanagement and demanded an investigation into Concepcion's finances.

Early Sunday, Sequec and several family members were traveling on a road in Concepcion when their car was cut off by another vehicle. Several gunmen exited the vehicle and began firing into Sequec's car, killing Sequec's 17-year-old daughter and 16-year-old niece.

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When news spread of the attack on Sequec, angry residents began searching for Juracan, who they believed was behind the attack. The angry mob tracked down began burning houses belonging to Juracan's family until they found the mayor at his home.

The arson attacks killed at least one other person. Although Guatemala is known as one of the most violent countries in the world, mob attacks of the type that killed Juracan are rare.

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Photographs of Juracan's body show he was thrown into a confined space riddled with rocks and debris, including a tire, as he burned.

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