Carlos Manzo, the 40-year-old mayor of Uruapan, a city in the Michoacan province of Mexico, was tragically killed during the “Day of the Dead” celebrations on Saturday night. Manzo, known for his vocal opposition to the country’s infamous drug cartels, was shot by two unidentified individuals in front of a crowd of shocked onlookers.
Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum publicly denounced the brutal assassination and extended her heartfelt condolences to Manzo’s family and the residents of Uruapan. Sheinbaum characterized the loss as irreplaceable, underlining the shock and sorrow that has enveloped the city in the wake of the mayor’s death.
Manzo, who governed a city of 300,000 inhabitants, had earned national acclaim for his brave resistance to the violent drug cartels that have terrorized Mexico for years. Despite being aware of the risks he faced, Manzo had previously voiced his resolve not to become “just another murdered mayor,” underscoring the significance of not letting fear control actions.
The brazen assassination, which security consultant David Saucedo referred to as a “kamikaze attack,” has ignited widespread indignation both in Mexico and the United States. U.S. Deputy Secretary of State Christopher Landau, a former ambassador to Mexico, expressed his sympathies and confirmed the U.S.’s willingness to strengthen security collaboration with Mexico to fight organized crime on both sides of the border.
Manzo, who initiated 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 encouraged Sheinbaum to adopt a more aggressive stance against these criminal groups.
Despite the presence of national guard troops at the event, the security detail was unable to prevent the fatal attack on Manzo. His assassination highlights 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.