Liputan6.com, Jakarta Carlos Alberto Manzo Rodríguez, the mayor of Uruapan, Michoacán, Mexico, was shot dead on the evening of November 1, 2025.
The tragic incident happened while he was attending a Day of the Dead celebration in the city center.
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Manzo, who had only been mayor since September 2024, was known for his outspoken opposition to drug cartels and organized crime in his region.
Hundreds of Uruapan residents, dressed in black, took to the city's streets on Sunday to accompany Carlos Manzo's funeral procession and bid farewell to the slain mayor.
They chanted “Justice! Justice! Out with Morena!”, a reference to the governing party of Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum.
Carlos Manzo's Profile and Struggle
Carlos Alberto Manzo Rodríguez is a 40-year-old politician serving as Mayor of Uruapan, a city in the state of Michoacán, Mexico.
Before becoming mayor, he served as a legislator for the Morena party from 2021 to 2024.
Manzo was then elected mayor in September 2024 after running as an independent candidate.
He is widely known for his uncompromising stance against drug cartels and organized crime.
This bold stance has earned him the nickname "El Bukele of Michoacán" by some, a reference to the Salvadoran president known for his tough stance on crime.
Manzo has repeatedly called for the federal government to allocate more security resources to combat the powerful criminal groups in his region.
He is often seen wearing a bulletproof vest and joining security patrols on the streets of Uruapan.
Moments of the Tragic Shooting
The shooting of Carlos Manzo occurred on Saturday evening, November 1, 2025, at approximately 8:00 PM or 8:10 PM local time.
The incident occurred in the historic center of Uruapan, while Manzo was attending the Candle Festival (Festival de Velas), a traditional event part of the Day of the Dead celebrations.
According to eyewitnesses, Manzo had just finished taking photos with children and was lighting candles when a gunman approached.
The attacker opened fire from close range, hitting Manzo seven times with a 9mm caliber firearm recovered at the scene.
Manzo was immediately rushed to Fray Juan de San Miguel Hospital, but sadly, he died shortly thereafter at 8:50 PM from his gunshot wounds.
In the attack, a city council member, Victor Saladitas, and a mayoral bodyguard were also injured.
One of the attackers died at the scene, while the other two were apprehended.
Background of Threats and Legal Follow Up
Michoacán is a state known for high levels of cartel violence and extortion, and Carlos Manzo was an outspoken critic of the growing influence of drug cartels there.
This outspoken stance made him a target for threats from criminal organizations.
Manzo had received threats before, as early as December 2024, just three months after he took office as mayor.
Consequently, his security was increased in May 2025 with the addition of municipal police and 14 National Guard officers assigned to protect him.
The Mexican president promised to seek justice.
Sheinbaum held an emergency meeting of his security cabinet on Sunday morning, and later condemned Manzo's "heinous" murder in a statement on X.
“We reaffirm our commitment to deploy all the State’s efforts to achieve peace and security with zero impunity and full justice,” she wrote.