URUAPAN – Gunmen shot dead the mayor of Uruapan, Carlos Manzo, during a public Day of the Dead event on Saturday in Mexico’s violence-hit state of Michoacan.
According to the National Public Security Agency, Manzo was killed in the city center when unidentified attackers opened fire on the gathering. Two suspects have been arrested, while one of the assailants was killed during the incident, authorities confirmed.
The western state of Michoacan has long suffered from organized crime and cartel violence, with criminal groups extorting farmers and controlling key agricultural regions. Videos circulating online showed chaos as attendees fled the scene amid bursts of gunfire.
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Manzo, who took office in September 2024, was known for personally joining security patrols while wearing a bulletproof vest. In a video posted in June, he had urged federal authorities to intensify efforts against violent crime.
His assassination follows the recent killing of farmer representative Bernardo Bravo, who had spoken out against cartel extortion. Mexico has witnessed a surge in violence targeting local politicians, with several mayors assassinated in recent months, reflecting the deepening crisis of law and order in the country.
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