Gunmen shot and killed Carlos Manzo, the mayor of Uruapan in Mexico’s violence-stricken western state of Michoacan, during a public Day of the Dead celebration on Saturday, authorities confirmed.
The National Public Security Agency said in a statement that two suspects linked to the attack were arrested, while one of the assailants was killed during the incident.
Videos circulating online captured the moment chaos erupted, with gunfire sending panicked crowds fleeing from the city-center event.
Uruapan, located in one of Mexico’s most volatile regions, has long been gripped by violence fueled by powerful drug cartels that extort farmers and control large portions of Michoacan’s lucrative avocado and lime industries.
Mayor Manzo, who took office in September 2024, was known for his hands-on approach to security. He often accompanied local patrols wearing a bulletproof vest and publicly urged federal authorities to intensify the fight against organized crime.
In a June video shared on his social media, Manzo called for stronger federal action, saying his city could not continue to face criminal groups “with limited local resources.”
His assassination comes just days after the killing of farmer representative Bernardo Bravo, a vocal critic of cartel extortion targeting Michoacan’s agricultural sector.
Mexico has endured nearly two decades of relentless cartel violence, with mayors and local officials frequently targeted by criminal groups seeking political influence or retribution.
Last month, gunmen killed the mayor of Pisaflores in central Mexico, while in June, attackers stormed a mayor’s office in the south, killing the mayor and a staff member. The following day, another mayor and her husband were murdered in the country’s west.
What you should know
Mayor Carlos Manzo’s killing underscores the grave risks faced by Mexican local officials confronting cartel influence.
His death adds to a growing list of assassinated mayors, reflecting the country’s ongoing struggle to curb organized crime and restore public trust in regions dominated by drug violence.
