NUEVO LAREDO, Mexico, (AFP) -- Gunmen shot dead a mayoral candidate in a northern Mexico border town along with his son and driver, less than two months before elections, officials said yesterday.

Jose Mario Guajardo had received threats urging him to give up his candidacy in the town of Valle Hermoso, in Tamaulipas state near the US border, according to his, and the ruling, conservative National Action Party (PAN).

Two armed attackers stormed Guajardo's office and shot him and his 21-year-old son dead, state police commander Juan Jose Mancha told AFP.

They shot dead the politician's driver as they escaped, he said.

Cesar Nava, the head of the PAN party, told journalists that Guajardo was killed for ignoring criminal threats to give up his candidacy.

Nava called on the government of President Felipe Calderon to protect other candidates in Tamaulipas, which has seen a rise in violence blamed on drug gang turf wars in recent months.

Three PAN mayoral candidates have already stepped down in the state ahead of July 4 municipal and gubernatorial elections, he added.

More than 22,700 people have died in a wave of suspected drug-related attacks since Calderon launched a military crackdown on organised crime at the end of 2006.

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