MEXICO CITY (AP) — A mayoral candidate in a northern Mexico border state was killed on Friday, the 16th political hopeful slain ahead of the June 2 national elections that are shaping up to be the country’s most violent on record.

Noé Ramos Ferretiz was a candidate of the coalition between the opposition National Action Party and Institutional Revolutionary Party, or PRI, which governed Mexico until 2000. He was running for reelection as mayor of the city Ciudad Mante.

Prosecutors in the northern border state of Tamaulipas said he was attacked on Friday, but did not give details beyond saying they’re investigating.

Local media reported he had been stabbed and posted photos showing a bloodied body lying on a sidewalk. Tamaulipas has long been riven by drug cartel turf wars. Ciudad Mante is located in the southern part of the state, relatively far from border cities like Reynosa and Matamoros.