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Mexican authorities are investigating the assassination of the mayor just a few hours south of the Rio Grande Valley.

Gunmen killed Hidalgo, Tamaulipas Mayor Antonio Leal-Garcia over the weekend.

Leal-Garcia’s daughter is recovering from wounds she received in the attack.

Hidalgo is a mountain town located northwest of the Tamaulipas capital Ciudad Victoria and southeast of Linares, Nuevo Leon.

No motive was given in the attack and no arrests has been made but authorities suspect the gunmen are allied with Los Zetas.

The Zetas have also been blamed for the massacre of 72 Central and South American immigrants just a couple hours away in San Fernando.

According to Action 4 News archives, the police chief in Hidalgo, Tamaulipas was killed back in May.

Hidalgo Mayor Leal-Garcia is the second mayor to be killed in one month’s time south of the border.

The mayor of Santiago, Nuevo Leon was also recently killed.

Authorities are blaming an escalating war on drugs as cartels fight each and the federal government fights the cartels.

Authorities report that more than half the country's drug-related killings are happening in seven of Mexico's 32 states.

Experts believe that the violence will continue unless American demand for illegal drugs and illegal workers decreases.

A cycle of violence and destruction that experts say is only getting worse.