History rarely arrives without complications, and Benjamín Medrano Quezada’s life reflected that better than most. As Mexico’s first openly gay mayor, he broke new ground simply by winning public office. Yet he also spent years opposing some of the LGBTQ+ rights that many queer people consider fundamental. Following his fatal shooting, Medrano leaves behind a legacy that is as significant as it is deeply complicated.
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The 59-year-old was shot and killed on 7 July while reportedly out getting ice cream in Guadalajara, Jalisco. Authorities say he was shot multiple times in the face. Investigators have not identified a motive, and it remains unclear how many attackers were involved.
Medrano served as mayor of Fresnillo, Zacatecas, from 2013 to 2015 before later representing Zacatecas’s first district as a federal deputy in Mexico’s Chamber of Deputies.
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Authorities search for answers after fatal shooting
The circumstances surrounding Medrano’s death remain under investigation, with officials releasing few details beyond confirming the attack. Following news of his death, the city of Fresnillo issued a statement honoring its former mayor.
“We express our deepest condolences to their family and friends, respectfully accompanying them in this moment of grief and wishing them strength in the face of this irreparable loss. Rest in peace.”
For now, investigators continue working to determine who was responsible and why.
From entertainer to politician, Benjamín Medrano took an unexpected path
Before entering public office, Medrano built a name for himself through music, recording several albums of ballads and ranchera songs. He also opened a gay bar in 1994 before beginning his political career the following year as a councillor in Zacatecas.
Over the next two decades, he steadily climbed the political ranks, eventually becoming mayor of Fresnillo and later serving in Mexico’s federal legislature. His later years, however, were overshadowed by legal challenges.
In 2022, Medrano was accused of embezzling public funds linked to his role as president of the Board of Trustees of the National Fair of Zacatecas in 2019. Prosecutors alleged that more than 60 million pesos had been misappropriated, leading to an arrest warrant after he failed to appear for a court hearing. The warrant was reportedly overturned by a judge in 2025. Medrano’s family, meanwhile, argued that the fraud allegations were politically motivated.
A pioneering figure whose views divided the LGBTQ+ community
Medrano’s place in LGBTQ+ history has never been straightforward. He was openly gay throughout his political career at a time when doing so carried significant political risk in Mexico. His election as the country’s first openly gay mayor marked a milestone in Mexican politics. At the same time, his personal beliefs often put him at odds with the broader LGBTQ+ movement.
A practicing Catholic, Medrano publicly opposed same-sex marriage, adoption rights for same-sex couples, and LGBTQ+ Pride parades. He told El Universal in 2013: “Our idiosyncrasies do not allow it because we are not prepared for it. Not because we lack the capacity to do it, but we cannot go against doctrines and customs either.”
His death closes the chapter on a political career that defied easy labels. Benjamín Medrano made history as Mexico’s first openly gay mayor while also becoming one of the country’s more complex LGBTQ+ political figures. His life and public record remain reminders that representation and advocacy do not always travel the same path, for future generations of LGBTQ+ leaders everywhere.
Source: El Financiero, sdpnoticias, and Mundo Now