On 1st November (local time), the Mayor of Uruapan in Michoacan, Mexico, was gunned down in front of dozens of people during Day of the Dead celebrations. 40-year-old Carlos Alberto Manzo Rodriguez was shot seven times by an unidentified assailant in the town’s historic centre. He was rushed to hospital, where he succumbed to his injuries while receiving treatment.
State prosecutor Carlos Torres Pina confirmed that a city council member and a bodyguard were also injured during the attack. Federal Security Secretary Omar Garcia Harfuch said in a statement that the attacker was shot dead at the scene by security forces.
He further stated that the firearm used was previously linked to violent clashes between rival criminal groups in the region. He said, “No line of investigation is being ruled out to clarify this cowardly act,” while speaking to reporters.
A region plagued by cartel violence
Michoacan has a long history of violent clashes. It is among the most violent states in the country, plagued with rival cartels fighting for control over lucrative drug routes and territory. Manzo Rodriguez, who had publicly criticised state authorities and accused Governor Alfredo Ramirez Bedolla of corruption, had repeatedly sought federal help to tackle organised crime.
The slain mayor was nicknamed “The Mexican Bukele” for his hardline approach against criminal groups. He had been under police and National Guard protection since December 2024, shortly after taking office.
The murder was captured on video and widely shared online. It has added to a growing list of political assassinations in Michoacan, including the murder of Tacambaro’s mayor, Salvador Bastidas, in June, and journalist Mauricio Cruz Solis last year.
Uruapan Mayor Carlos Manzo dies following attack
— Culture War Intel (@CultureWar2020) November 2, 2025
Nicknamed the "Mexican Bukele"
Carlos Manzo Rodríguez, 40, mayor of Uruapan, Michoacán, Hardline anti-cartel: ordered shoot-to-kill on armed criminals pic.twitter.com/C0Snt7mXs3
Streets filled with grief and anger
Following the murder, hundreds of residents dressed in black accompanied the funeral procession while chanting “Justice! Justice! Out with Morena!” as a black horse bearing the mayor’s hat led the way. Mariachi musicians followed, playing sombre tunes as security forces stood guard across the narrow streets lined with marigolds and candles.
