Manzo was gunned down on November 1 during a Day of the Dead event in Uruapan’s main square. Witnesses said he was shot multiple times at close range and later died from his injuries in a nearby hospital. The teenager accused of the attack was identified as Victor Manuel Ubaldo Vidales, a resident of Paracho, a town bordering Uruapan.
Until this week, it wasn’t widely known that Ubaldo had been killed after his arrest. Officials initially claimed he was shot while still posing a threat, but new reports — and comments from the governor — suggest the 17-year-old may have been executed after being subdued.
“They detain the murderer and moments later there is a struggle and there is a single shot that kills the murderer,” Governor Ramirez told reporters. “The [state] Attorney General’s Office is investigating this whole issue.”
According to the newspaper Reforma, Ubaldo was quickly tackled by police and bodyguards as he tried to flea the scene. A video circulating on social media reportedly shows him lying on the ground surrounded by security personnel. In the footage, one officer can be heard shouting, “Who sent you, son of a b*tch?” before a gunshot is fired.
Reforma says that the suspect had checked into a hotel across from the main square just hours before the attack. Authorities have described Ubaldo as a meth addict and believe he may have acted on orders from an organized crime group.
Two other suspects were also taken into custody in connection with the assassination, though their names have not been released. Michoacan Attorney General Carlos Torres Pina said last week that the killing was “related to organized crime groups.” While he didn’t specify which one, Milenio cited sources saying the investigation points toward the Jalisco New Generation Cartel (CJNG), whose local leader in Uruapan was arrested in August.
Manzo, known for speaking out against criminal organizations, had urged President Claudia Sheinbaum repeaedly to intensify the fight against cartels in Michoacan. Despite having a 22-member security detail including municipal police and National Guard officers, the mayor was still targeted in broad daylight.
Governor Ramirez said Manzo had personally selected part of his close protection team and that authorities are reviewing how the attack happened. “We’re looking at what distracted or relaxed the mayor’s first circle of security,” he said.
State and federal officials have stated there will be “no impunity” in the case and confirmed that investigations are ongoing to identify those who ordered the hit.
