A person holds a picture of Carlos Manzo, the mayor who was shot dead during a Day of the Dead event, in Uruapan, Mexico, Nov. 2, 2025. (REU...
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| A person holds a picture of Carlos Manzo, the mayor who was shot dead during a Day of the Dead event, in Uruapan, Mexico, Nov. 2, 2025. (REUTERS/Ivan Arias) |
URUAPAN, MEXICO—A wave of shock and outrage has swept through the state of Michoacán following the assassination of Uruapan Mayor Carlos Manzo, a fierce critic of Mexico’s drug cartels and organized crime. The attack took place during a Day of the Dead vigil this weekend.
Manzo, who had previously vowed not to "take a single step back" in his fight against criminal organizations, was shot seven times on Saturday night before succumbing to his wounds at a nearby hospital. His outspoken opposition to the cartels and his efforts to implement hardline laws against drug trafficking had earned him the moniker "Mexican Bukele," referencing El Salvador's anti-gang President Nayib Bukele.
The Uruapan mayor had publicly criticized Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum for what he perceived as a lack of resolve in tackling the cartels. Just months before his death, Manzo expressed his fear but his commitment to his office, stating, "I do not want to be just another mayor on the list of those who have been executed... I am very afraid, but I must face it with courage."
Despite an extensive security detail, which included officers handpicked by Manzo and 14 National Guard members, the assassination underscores the severe level of violence and impunity wielded by organized crime in Michoacán. Mexican Security Minister Omar GarcÃa Harfuch has announced a full investigation into the killing, promising that there will be "no impunity" for those responsible for the "painful and unjust loss" of the mayor.
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