Carlos Manzo had been greeting residents outside a church when several armed attackers opened fire around 8 pm, according to Spanish outlet El País. Witnesses said five shots were heard before the crowd scattered in panic.
Authorities said Manzo was rushed to a nearby hospital but later died from his injuries. Two suspects were arrested at the scene, while a third was killed during the incident, state prosecutors said. Police also recovered a 9mm handgun believed to have been used in the shooting.
Michoacán’s attorney general, Carlos Torres Piña, said investigators are still working to confirm who ordered the attack. “We are coordinating with local and federal forces to identify those responsible,” he said in a video statement posted Sunday morning.
Manzo, who had only taken office in September 2024, was known for pushing back against organized crime and calling out the federal government for what he described as weak efforts to control cartel violence. He had previously gone on patrols with local security forces wearing a bulletproof vest and spoke openly about fearing for his safety.
The region has long been plagued by fighting among cartels, including the Jalisco New Generation Cartel, which maintains a strong presence in Uruapan. The group has been linked to blockades, arson attacks, and assassinations targeting public officials.
Michoacán Governor Alfredo Ramírez Bedolla condemned the killing on X, writing, “We strongly condemn the cowardly attack in which Uruapan’s mayor, Carlos Manzo, lost his life, for which two people are already detained and one more has been killed.” He said the state’s public security secretary and the National Guard are now coordinating security in the city.
Manzo’s death adds to a growing list of local politicians targeted in cartel-controlled areas. Despite repeated promises by President Claudia Sheinbaum’s government to crack down on organized crime, violence against public officials remains widespread.
No group has yet claimed responsibility for the attack. Authorities say the investigation is ongoing, and more arrests could follow in the coming days.
