MEXICO CITY: Assassins have killed a fourth Mexican mayor in less than six weeks as a drug war continues to engulf formerly calm parts of the country, authorities said.

Gunmen ambushed and shot dead Prisciliano Rodriguez Salinas and an employee on Thursday night at his ranch near the industrial centre of Monterrey, in the northern state of Nuevo Leon. Mr Rodriguez was mayor of the town of Doctor Gonzalez, just north-east of Monterrey.

On Friday Ricardo Solis, who was to be sworn in as mayor of another town, was shot and critically injured in the border state of Chihuahua. President Felipe Calderon condemned the ”cowardly” killings and pledged to continue fighting the drug cartels.

http://www.smh.com.au/world/another-mayor-dies-20100925-15rkt.html