Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum on Sunday promised swift justice following the brazen assassination of Uruapan Mayor Carlos Manzo, a vocal critic of organized crime who had repeatedly pleaded for greater federal protection before his death.
Manzo, 40, was shot dead on Nov. 1 while attending a Day of the Dead candlelight festival in the city center of Uruapan, located in the violence-ridden western state of Michoacán. According to Mexico’s security ministry, two suspects were arrested and a third was killed in the aftermath of the attack.
President Sheinbaum convened an emergency meeting of her security cabinet on Sunday, later condemning what she described as a “vile assassination” in a statement posted on X.
“We reaffirm our commitment to deploy all the State’s efforts to achieve peace and security with zero impunity and full justice,” Sheinbaum wrote.
The killing sparked outrage across Michoacán, where residents and civic groups organized a march in the state capital, Morelia, to demand justice for Manzo and an end to the spiraling violence and corruption that have long plagued the region.
One of Mexico’s few independent politicians, Manzo had served as mayor of Uruapan since September 2024. Known for his outspokenness and constant public appearances wearing a bulletproof vest, Manzo had openly challenged powerful criminal organizations that control large parts of Michoacán.
In a September interview with journalist Joaquín López-Dóriga, Manzo expressed deep concerns about his safety.
“I don’t want to be just another mayor on the list of those executed, those whose lives have been taken from them,” he said.
Uruapan, often referred to as Mexico’s avocado capital, lies at the heart of the state’s lucrative avocado-growing region an industry worth billions of dollars annually due to surging U.S. demand. That boom has also made it a prime target for organized criminal groups seeking to extort farmers and control trade routes.
In a separate interview with Milenio TV, Manzo questioned the cost of political defiance in Michoacán.
“How many mayors haven’t they killed because they opposed making these pacts with organized crime?” he asked, calling on President Sheinbaum to strengthen security operations in the region.
Manzo had been pushing for more robust federal intervention, especially as Mexico prepares for a review of its trade deal with the United States and Canada (USMCA). He argued that the safety of avocado producers in Uruapan was critical to sustaining one of Mexico’s most profitable export industries.
The slain mayor had also directly appealed to Security Minister Omar García Harfuch, urging him to bolster local protections.
“Minister Omar Harfuch, help us,” Manzo said in September.
Harfuch, addressing reporters on Nov. 2, confirmed that Manzo had been under federal protection since December 2024, with reinforcements added in May. His security detail included 14 National Guard troops assigned to perimeter defense and local police for close protection.
“The aggressors took advantage of the vulnerability of a public event,” Harfuch said. “Be certain that there will be no impunity.”
The killing drew condemnation from abroad, including from U.S. Deputy Secretary of State Christopher Landau, who shared a photo of Manzo with his young son taken shortly before the attack.
“The U.S. stands ready to deepen security cooperation with Mexico to wipe out organized crime on both sides of the border,” Landau posted on X.
Manzo’s death adds to a grim toll of assassinations targeting Mexican mayors, journalists, and civic leaders in recent years — a reflection of the country’s ongoing struggle with cartel violence and political corruption.
While Sheinbaum’s administration has pledged a nationwide crackdown on organized crime, Manzo’s killing underscores the dangers faced by local officials who resist criminal influence in regions where the state’s presence remains fragile.
As mourners filled Uruapan’s streets this weekend, the late mayor’s supporters carried candles and signs reading “No more impunity” a message echoing through a nation still searching for peace.