Mexican Mayor Assassinated During Day of the Dead Celebration in Michoacán

Gunmen have shot and killed Carlos Manzo, the mayor of Uruapan in western Mexico’s Michoacán state, during a public Day of the Dead event, authorities confirmed on Saturday, November 1.

The attack occurred in Uruapan’s city center, a region long plagued by organized crime and cartel violence. Mexico’s national public security agency said two suspects had been arrested, while one of the attackers was killed during the incident.

Eyewitness videos shared online showed chaos as terrified attendees fled the scene after gunfire broke out.

Manzo, who assumed office in September 2024, was widely recognized for his hands-on approach to local security. He often joined police patrols wearing a bulletproof vest and had repeatedly urged the federal government to take stronger measures against criminal groups. In a video message posted in June, he called for increased federal support to protect Michoacán residents from cartel-related violence.

Michoacán, one of Mexico’s key agricultural hubs, has endured years of violent conflict between rival cartels competing for control of farming regions and trafficking routes.

The mayor’s killing is the latest in a wave of attacks targeting local officials across Mexico. Earlier in the week, farmer representative Bernardo Bravo—known for opposing gang extortion—was also shot dead in Michoacán. Last month, the mayor of Pisaflores in central Mexico was gunned down, and in June, armed men stormed a mayor’s office in the south, killing the mayor and a staff member. Another mayor and her husband were slain the following day in the country’s west.

With nearly two decades of drug-related violence claiming thousands of lives, Manzo’s assassination underscores the growing danger faced by public officials amid deepening insecurity and impunity across Mexico.