The Mexican city of Temixco, located about 100 kilometers south of Mexico City (60 miles), became the latest crime scene in Mexico's ongoing war on the drugs trade.

State Governor Graco Ramirez confirmed the murder in a tweet, calling the attack against a "young and widely beloved partner" a provocation by criminals, which his party would not give into.

Gisela Mota had only taken office with the start of the new year on January 1. A former federal member of Congress, Mota belonged to the Party of the Democratic Revolution (PDR), a leftist movement.

The Mexican newspaper "El Universal" reported that four armed gunmen had attacked Mota at her home.

The newspaper also reported that police had killed alleged assailants while arresting two others. The provincial government did not comment on account of the ongoing investigation.

Several mayors in cities and towns across Mexico have been killed in the last year alone. Armed gangs financed by drug cartels have taken control of many local communities in the country in the course of the past ten years.

ss/rc (Reuters, dpa)