Michoacan state prosecutor's office reports that two candidates for mayor of the central Mexican municipality of Maravatio were killed within hours of each other.
Armando Pérez of the conservative National Action Party (PAN) and Miguel Ángel Reyes of the ruling left-leaning party, Morena, were found dead in their vehicles with gunshot wounds.
Pérez was discovered on Monday evening, while Reyes was found a few hours earlier at the hospital where he worked as a doctor.
Both candidates were scheduled to contest in the elections on June 2.
Mexico's President Andrés Manuel López Obrador said that the fatalities were "unfortunate."PAN and Morena both condemned the deaths and called for justice for the candidates.
Data Cívica, a civil society focused on data research, reported 36 incidents of political-electoral violence in January alone. According to research by Intergralia Consultants, eight candidates have been assassinated since the current electoral process began last September.
Criminal gangs are known to fund campaigns throughout the election season, intimidating candidates and forcibly intervening to force politicians to collaborate with them, according to the research. It went on to say that criminal organizations focus their attacks at the municipal level since mayors can grant them immunity in the territory due to their connections with law enforcement and the local economy.
Mexico's Security Minister, Rosa Icela Rodríguez, stated in early February that the administration aims to reduce violence leading to the 2024 elections.
On June 2, more than 100 million Mexicans will vote in general elections for 20,375 positions, with 19,746 municipal and 629 federal, including the presidency.
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