Carlos Manzo, the 40-year-old mayor of Uruapan, a city in Mexico’s Michoacan province, was assassinated in a public square during the “Day of the Dead” festivities on Saturday night. The outspoken mayor, known for his strong stance against the country’s notorious drug cartels, was shot by two unidentified assailants in front of a crowd of stunned supporters.
Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum expressed her condemnation of the brutal killing and extended her deepest sympathies to Manzo’s family and the citizens of Uruapan. Sheinbaum described the loss as irreparable, highlighting the shock and grief that has gripped the city following the mayor’s death.
Manzo, who led a city of 300,000 residents, had gained national recognition for his courageous opposition to the violent drug cartels that have plagued Mexico for years. Aware of the dangers he faced, Manzo had previously expressed his determination not to become “just another murdered mayor,” emphasizing the importance of not allowing fear to dictate actions.
The audacious assassination, described by security consultant David Saucedo as a “kamikaze attack,” has sparked widespread outrage both in Mexico and the United States. U.S. Deputy Secretary of State Christopher Landau, a former ambassador to Mexico, expressed his condolences and affirmed the U.S.’s readiness to enhance security cooperation with Mexico to combat organized crime on both sides of the border.
Manzo, who began his political career with Sheinbaum’s Morena Party before becoming an independent, had been critical of former President Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador’s pacifist approach to dealing with the drug cartels. The late mayor, the son of a community activist, had also urged Sheinbaum to adopt a tougher stance against these criminal organizations.
Despite being accompanied by national guard troops during the event, the security detail was unable to prevent the fatal attack on Manzo. His assassination underscores the escalating violence and the audacity of the drug cartels in Mexico, raising concerns about the safety of public officials who dare to oppose them.