Guatemala mayoral candidate, guards shot dead
Guatemala has one of the highest rates of violence in Latin America.
GUATEMALA CITY (AFP) - A mayoral candidate and his three body guards were gunned down in San Miguel Duenas, Guatemala, his party said Wednesday, the second member of the group killed in less than a week.
Mayoral candidate Horacio Quinones of the Todos political party received a death threat weeks ago, and authorities had launched an investigation into the incident.
A deputy mayor candidate for the party was killed in the municipality of Nueva Concepcion Thursday.
After Quinones s death, the only person left in the mayoral race is an opposition party candidate.
"These events are the result of the wave of violence that prevails in our country, following a collapsed system where serious reforms are essential to rescue the country facing crisis," the Todos party said in a statement condemning the killing.
Guatemala has one of the highest rates of violence in Latin America.
The country s seven million citizens will vote September 6 to choose its president, vice president, deputies and mayors.
