"Violence Strikes Mexican Mayoral Candidates and Consumer Confidence Slips in February"

Two mayoral candidates in the Mexican city of Maravatio were shot dead within hours of each other, highlighting the escalating violence ahead of the June 2 election, which experts warn could be the country’s most violent on record. The killings underscore the threat posed by drug cartels, with the state of Michoacan particularly hard hit by gang turf wars. The violence reflects a broader trend of organized crime increasingly intervening in local elections, as cartels seek to expand their influence beyond drug trafficking by extorting protection payments from local businesses and governments.