THREE women politicians were shot dead in Mexico over the weekend as electoral violence continues in the country.

Pamela Teran Pineda, a member of the Institutional Revolutionary Party (PRI) standing for election to Juchitan’s council, was shot dead after leaving a restaurant at 3am on Saturday along with her driver and a photographer, police said.

And the bodies of Juana Irais Maldonado, standing for congress for the Green Party in the Huauchinango constituency, and local city councillor Erika Cazares were also found on Saturday. They were murdered after a campaign trip to Jopala, in Mexico’s south-east.

Police ruled out robbery as a motive in their murders, as their car was left by the side of the road with their possessions still in it.

The Green Party demanded that “the authorities take action … to put an end to the violence and aggression faced by candidates for public office.”

At least 105 electoral candidates have been assassinated since September. Elections are due to take place on July 1.