Kidnapped Mexican mayor is found dead

Mr Cavazos had just returned from a public function when he was abducted

Security forces in Mexico have found the body of the kidnapped mayor of the northern city of Santiago, reports say.

Edelmiro Cavazos was taken from his home by armed men on Sunday night.

His body was found handcuffed and blindfolded outside the nearby city of Monterrey, local media said.

The wealthy cities are seen as prime targets for gangs who kidnap for ransom. The Monterrey area has also seen a rise in violence blamed on a turf war between rival drug cartels.

Police said Mr Cavazos had just returned from attending a public function on the town's main square on Sunday when 15 gunmen broke into his home and forced him into a car.

State governor Rodrigo Medina said he believed Mr Cavazos may have been targeted because of his efforts to tackle corruption in the local police force.

The abduction followed a weekend of violence in Monterrey, some 430 miles (700km) north of Mexico City.

On Saturday gangs blockaded 13 major streets in the city, Mexico's third largest.

And on Sunday an explosive device went off in front of the studios of Mexico's largest television network, Televisa.

Nuevo Leon, the northern state where both Monterrey and Santiago are located, has seen a sharp increase in crime since one of the country's most violent drug gangs, Los Zetas, extended its operations there.