An aide to Guatemala's leading presidential candidate has been shot and killed by unknown gunmen in Guatemala City.
The candidate, Otto Perez Molina, described Monday's attack as politically motivated. The former general suggested it was a response to his threats to crack down on drug trafficking if elected in the November fourth runoff election.
Perez's aide, Aura Salazar, and a guard were shot while sitting in a car parked blocks away from Congress.
At least 50 people have been killed in violence related to this year's presidential elections.
A poll published Monday in the national Siglo XXI newspaper shows Perez leading his opponent, Alvaro Colom, by nearly eight percentage points.
Colom and Perez were the top two candidates in the first round of elections held in September.
Some information for this report was provided by AP and Reuters.
