The mayor of Uruapan, a city in Mexico's violence-ridden Michoacan state, was fatally shot during a public event on Saturday, according to authorities. The national public security agency reported that two suspects were detained after the attack on Carlos Manzo, and an assailant was also killed at the scene. The assassination took place in the city center during a Day of the Dead gathering, CBS News reports, sending crowds scrambling. Manzo, who had asked the Mexican government for more help in fighting drug traffickers, recently posted videos in which he said he feared for his life, per the New York Times.
Michoacan, a region long troubled by drug cartel activity and the extortion of local farmers, has seen repeated violence targeting public officials. Manzo, who took office in September 2024, was known for his hands-on approach to security. He occasionally joined patrols while wearing a bulletproof vest. The mayor had clashed with President Claudia Sheinbaum over crime policies, and she criticized him earlier this year for calling on local police to kill criminals who attack civilians.
Drug-related violence has claimed the lives of numerous politicians over the past two decades in Mexico. Last month, the mayor of Pisaflores in central Mexico was shot to death, and two mayors were killed within days of each other in June. Early last year, two mayoral candidates in the city of Maravatio were shot to death within hours of each other. Even high-ranking aides in Mexico City have been targeted, per CBS. Michoacan farmer representative Bernardo Bravo was shot to death just days ago. He'd repeatedly spoken out against extortion committed by criminal gangs.
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