Activist Mario Puga killed in Mexico City police chase

Mario Puga, a prominent social activist and cultural promoter from the Tepito neighborhood, died on Saturday, October 24, 2026, after being struck by a vehicle in the Morelos neighborhood of Mexico City.

The incident occurred during a police pursuit of suspects believed to be part of a gang involved in restaurant robberies. According to the Mexico City Secretariat of Citizen Security, the vehicle carrying the suspects struck Puga while he was riding an electric bicycle, resulting in his death at the scene.

Puga was a significant figure in the community, known as a historian, photographer, and designer. He was the founder of the Espacio Cultural Tepito and worked closely with the PILARES program in the Morelos colony. Mexico City Mayor Clara Brugada expressed her condolences, noting his lifelong dedication to popular culture and the historical identity of Tepito.