Carlos Alberto Manzo Rodríguez, the mayor of Uruapan in Mexico's violence-plagued state of Michoacán, was shot dead on Saturday night in front of dozens of people gathered for Day of the Dead festivities. The attack occurred in the town's historic centre, where an unidentified man fired seven shots at the mayor, according to federal security secretary Omar García Harfuch. Manzo Rodríguez was rushed to hospital but later died from his injuries.
A city council member and a bodyguard were also wounded in the assault. García Harfuch stated that the weapon used was linked to two armed clashes between rival criminal groups operating in the region. “No line of investigation is being ruled out to clarify this cowardly act that took the life of the mayor,” he added.
Michoacán is one of Mexico's most violent states, serving as a battleground for cartels and criminal groups vying for control of territory and drug routes. Manzo Rodríguez, who had been under police protection since December 2024, had publicly appealed to President Claudia Sheinbaum for help against the cartels and had accused the state governor and police of corruption.
On Sunday, hundreds of Uruapan residents dressed in black and carrying photos of the mayor joined his funeral procession, chanting for justice and against the ruling Morena party. The attack was captured on video and shared on social media, showing the moment gunfire erupted and people fled for cover.
Manzo Rodríguez, sometimes called “the Mexican Bukele” for his tough security stance, took office after winning the 2024 midterm elections with an independent movement. His killing follows the June death of another Michoacán mayor, Salvador Bastidas, and the October 2024 shooting of journalist Mauricio Cruz Solís in Uruapan.
