One mayoral candidate was murdered and another shot and wounded in Mexico on Tuesday as violence continues to spread ahead of Sunday's elections.

According to local media reports, Ricardo Arizmendi, a candidate for mayor in the city of Cuautla in the central state of Morelos, was killed after being shot in the head at his place of work by two men who escaped on a motorbike.

Meanwhile, in the western state of Jalisco, Gilberto Palomar, a mayoral candidate for the municipality of Encarnacion de Diaz was shot and injured inside a home along with two aides.

Rising violence ahead of weekend vote

Violence often spikes in the run-up to Mexican elections and this year has been no exception with 22 candidates murdered since campaigning started last September, according to government figures. 

Outgoing President Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador has deployed over 27,000 troops and national guard members to provide security during the elections. Mexicans will be voting not only for a new president, but also members of Congress, several state governors and around 20,000 local officials.

Lopez Obrador said that the aim of the security operation was for Mexicans to be able to vote "calmly, safely and without fear" and expressed confidence that the election would be "clean, free and, above all, peaceful."

mf/rmt (AFP, EFE)