At least 89 politicians killed in run-up to Mexican elections

Mexico City, June 4 (RHC)-- Midterm elections are taking place in Mexico on Sunday, with the ruling party of Mexican President Andrés Manuel López Obrador and his allies favored to retain their majority. 

But the elections are being held with a backdrop of increased violence.  At least 89 politicians have been killed in the run-up to the election; 35 of those were candidates running for Sunday’s vote. 

In the elections, more than 21,000 local and national seats are up for grabs.  Mexican electoral law requires half of a party’s candidates to be women.  In addition, around 2% of surveyed candidates in this election identify as members of the LGBTQ community.